This was started in 1099 by Rufus, the son of William the Conqueror, and like most palaces was added to over time.
As you can imagine security is tight, especially since someone tried to blow it up. Some guy called Guy Fawkes I think. Anyway, it is airport standard security checks to get into the place.
The first place you come into is the Great Hall which is the original building of the palace. As the name suggests it is a huge cavernous hall with an oak hammer beam roof.
This is where Kings, Queens and politicians lie in state. There are plaques on the floor where they laid, we saw the one for Lizzie and Phil.
This is the Speakers Coach. I actually thought it was the Coronation Coach it looks so similar.
The next hall is St Stephen’s Hall. This is the old Commons where MP’s met to discuss the affairs of the day back in the day. At the entry is a lovely new stained glass window called the New Dawn, which represents anything and everything in the woke world of today.
It was in this hall where Charles 1st entered parliament to arrest 5 MP’s who had drafted the Grand Remonstrance detailing Charles abuses of authority since 1625. On 4th Jan 1642 Charles entered the Commons with an armed guard to arrest these MP’s but the Speaker refused to tell him where they were, thus enforcing the separation of Monarch and Parliament.
The Monarch is still not allowed to enter the House of Commons except at the invitation of its members.
Even today, at the opening of Parliament, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod walks from the House of Lords to the House of Commons to summons them to hear the Queens speech. The door is closed in her face. The Lady Usher then knocks 3 times with the rod, is admitted and allowed to request the MP’s presence. Great traditions, love this stuff.
Once through St Stephen’s Hall we weren’t allowed to take any photos but I’ve got some off that internet thingy.
The House of Lords has red seats. The Lords meeting room has many octagonal tables to enable group discussions.
There are two massive murals on the wall, one depicting the Battle of Trafalgar, and one depicting Waterloo.
The House of Commons has green seats.
There is a Central lobby with passages leading off to the House of Commons one way, and the House of Lords the other way.
The seats in the House of Lords used to be hereditary and we’re passed down from father to son, but this has been abolished and now the Lords are appointed by the King on advice of the PM and the Appointments Commission and sit for life.
This was an awe inspiring building with a ton of heritage and fascinating history. This is where all NZ laws came from initially, before we started making our own.
And so ended our day at Westminster Palace, the bastion of modern democracy as we know it.
Traveling Further 