New visitor tour to be unveiled in June in British parliament

Visitors to the Palace of Westminster, home of the British Parliament in London, will be given a rare opportunity next month to follow the footsteps of the queen of Britain.

A new Queen and Parliament tour starts next month to give families a chance to tread the corridors normally out of bounds to ordinary people.

A one-hour journey starts with the Royal Procession route from the private Robing Room where the Queen puts on the Imperial State Crown and her Robe of State, and prepares for the short journey to the ornate chamber of the historic House of Lords.

The route takes in the Royal Gallery into the main chamber of the House of Lords, with a close-up view of the magnificent throne and canopy from where Queen Elizabeth II delivers her speech every year at the State Opening of Parliament, with Prince Philip at her side.

It is a ceremony that dates back to the 16th century.

The journey continues along a route taken by a House of Lords official known as Black Rod. Holding a rod, he walks to the door of the second chamber, home of the prime minister and members of parliament who sit in the House of Commons.

In a ritual dating back centuries ago, as Black Rod approaches the door of the chamber, it is slammed shut in his face, one of the "must see" spectacles in the televised opening of Parliament.

The slamming of the door symbolizes the Commons' independence from the monarchy. He then bangs three times on the door with his rod. The door to the Commons Chamber is then opened and all MPs follow Black Rod back to the Lords to hear the Queen's speech. A line on the floor in the Lords'Chamber marks a barrier across which MPs are now allowed to cross.

The first Queen and Parliament Tour will start on June 4, then tours will take place on three Saturdays in the month. Endit