English: 1st Battalion Irish Guards accompanied by the Band of the Regiment and the Corps of Drums provide a Guard of Honour at the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament.

The armed forces play a major role in the pomp and ceremony that is part of the State Opening of Parliament. In all, 1308 members of the Armed Forces and 217 horses were on public show in a variety of ceremonial roles.

While London slept, the Armed Forces were rehearsing their movements for the event in the streets around Westminster. The Royal Horse Artillery and Cavalrymen were up just after one o’clock in the morning preparing their horses, but the effort was worth it because it meant that the Household Division was able to put the finishing touches to their precision procession on empty roads and with minimum disruption to the capital’s normal routine.

The State Opening of Parliament is one of the most colourful events in the London Ceremonial calendar when all elements of the Army’s Household Division, and other elements of the Armed Forces, line the streets and escort Her Majesty The Queen from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords. The State Opening marks the formal start of the new parliamentary session. The primary purpose of this colourful tradition is to set out the government's legislative agenda to both Houses of Parliament in the Queen's Speech.

• Organization: Army
• Object Name: LOND-2016-037 State Opening-140_1
• Category: MOD
• Supplemental Categories: Ceremonial, Operations
• Keywords: 1 IG, Irish Guards, 1st Bn, First Battalion, The Guards Division, Regiments, london, State Opening of Parliment, Sergeant Rupert Frere RLC, Rehearsals, Parliment, Military Musicians, Military Music, Bearskins, Army
• Country: UK