Lieutenant General David Leakey, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, in the House of Lords, London, March 2016.

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Black Rod is responsible for access to and order in the House of Lords. At the State Opening of Parliament he is sent from the House of Lords to the Commons Chamber to summon MPs to the Queen's Speech. The door is slammed in his face as an expression of the independence of the House of Commons. He then knocks three times on the door with his rod (the rod as seen in these photographs).

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Size: 5719px × 7953px
Location: London
Photo credit: © Edward Webb / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: black, david, house, houses, leakey, lords, palace, parliament, portrait, rod, westminster