English: The Prince of Wales delivers the speech with the Duke of Cambridge sitting to the left and Duchess of Cornwall to the right. It is written by the government and sets out its legislative agenda for the 2022-23 session.

Find out more about State Opening www.parliament.uk/business/news/2022/may-2022/state-openi...

This image may be used with acknowledgment: Copyright House of Lords 2022 / Photography by Annabel Moeller.

Heraldry on screen

The present House of Lords was built between 1840-7.

• Centre: Royal arms of Queen Victoria, circumscribed by the Garter with royal motto below Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense;
• Dexter (viewer's left): Arms of the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII). Royal arms differenced by a label of three points argent; Circumscribed by the Garter. Below: motto of the Prince of Wales Ich Dien. Two smaller shields on either side: dexter: Arms of Duchy of Cornwall, with crest of a crown; with motto of the Prince of Wales below; sinister: Arms of Earldom of Chester (Azure, three garbs or) arms adopted by Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester (died 1232); with crest A lion statant guardant or, with motto of the Prince of Wales below. Below all: the repeated initials "WP" (Waliensis Princeps, "Prince of Wales").
• Sinister (viewer's right): Arms of Albert, Prince Consort: Quarterly of 4: 1&4: Royal arms of Queen Victoria differenced by a label of three points argent the centre point charged with a cross gules; 2&3: Arms of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Saxony): Barry of ten sable and or, over all a crown of rue (rautenkranz/crancelin) in bend vert. Circumscribed by the Garter. With his motto below: Treu Und Fest ("Loyal and Sure"). Two shields on either side: Dexter, as quarters 1&4; sinister: as quarters 2&3, with his motto repeated below each. Below the repeated initials "AP" (Albertus Princeps).
• Behind the throne: Ten rectangular panels showing the arms of Plantagenet - the lions are shown crowned which is unusual.