Her Majesty The Queen will be joined by Assembly Members and representatives from across Wales for the official opening of the Fifth Assembly on 7 June 2016 at 11.15, accompanied by the His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall.
At the core of the ceremony will be addresses by the Presiding Officer Elin Jones AM, Her Majesty the Queen and First Minister Carwyn Jones AM.
During the ceremony the Mace will be carried into the Assembly, and placed in its sconce to signify the opening of the new Assembly. The Macebearer will wear a replica brooch of the mace, gifted by Welsh jewellers Clogau, as he symbolically turns the mace in front of Her Majesty.
Welsh cultural life will be placed firmly at the centre of the ceremonial proceedings.
A specially commissioned musical composition by Prof. Paul Mealor set to the words of Dr Grahame Davies “Wrth ddŵr a thân” will be performed by the National Youth Choir of Wales. A student from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama will recite a new poem penned by the National Poet of Wales Ifor ap Glyn entitled “Y tŷ hwn” which is to be presented to Her Majesty the Queen as a gift from the Assembly to mark her 90th birthday. Only Boys Aloud will also perform for Her Majesty.
Children and young people from across Wales have been invited to have a presence on the day. They will be outside the Senedd to welcome the Royal Party as they arrive.
Other guests invited to the opening include stakeholders from various sectors that have engaged with the Assembly and with whom we will continue to develop working relationships over the fifth Assembly.
The public are also invited to come and watch proceedings outside the Senedd, where a large screen will be placed for you to view proceedings as they happen.
The Senedd will be reopened to the public following proceedings (from 13.00) and we are extending a warm welcome to all with an offer of free welsh cakes and tours.
Those who can’t make it on the day will be able to watch the event on Senedd.tv.
The Ceremony
In a significant move towards creating a more state-opening feel to proceedings, the mace-bearer will wear an 18 carat gold replica brooch of the mace, gifted by the Welsh jewellers Clogau, as he symbolically turns the mace in front of Her Majesty.
In one of her first responsibilities as Presiding Officer, Elin Jones AM will welcome the Royal Party to the Senedd.
“It is important that the National Assembly for Wales is cemented as a focal point for Welsh civic, political and cultural life,” said Presiding Officer, Elin Jones AM.
“That is why the official opening of the Assembly is such an important part of Welsh life. It is the state-opening of Wales’s parliament and that’s why we need to ensure that the occasion itself reflects that importance”
“It is also an opportunity for us to showcase and celebrate the talent that we have here in Wales, as we mark the beginning of the Fifth Assembly.”
During the ceremony the Mace will be carried into the Assembly, and placed in its sconce to signify the opening of the new Assembly. The mace-bearer’s role includes leading the procession of newly elected Assembly Members and Judiciary into the Senedd.
As Her Majesty arrives at the Senedd, the mace-bearer will then lead the Presiding Officer, Elin Jones AM; First Minister Carwyn Jones AM, and the Senedd receiving line from the Siambr to the Cwrt to welcome the Royal Party.
Upon the entrance of the Royal Party into the Neuadd, the mace-bearer will reverse the mace, bow and step off to lead the Royal Party down the stairs to the Cwrt. The final role of the mace-bearer is to place the mace in its sconce.
The mace is a gift to the Assembly from the Parliament of New South Wales in Australia, and was presented to the Assembly on 1 March 2006 at the Official Opening.
Chetan Patel, a Security Manager at the National Assembly, has been selected to be the mace-bearer for the Official Opening of the Fifth Assembly. Applications for the role were invited by the Assembly’s security staff, and Chetan was chosen following an interview process.
Chetan has lived in Wales for over 35 years after moving here with his family from Uganda in 1972.
“I’ve worked for the Assembly for the past 10 years and feel extremely privileged to have been chosen for the role of the mace-bearer for this Opening,” said Chetan.
“I feel proud to be representing the Welsh and Hindu Communities in this role.”
“I have been watching footage of the last Official Opening in 2011 to see what happens with the mace during the ceremony, and I’m excited to be part of that.”
Chetan will be wearing a brooch that was kindly gifted to the National Assembly for Wales by Clogau. It will be worn by the mace-bearer when the mace is removed from the Siambr at the end of an Assembly term or brought back at the start of a new Assembly.
Ben Roberts, Managing Director of Clogau, said “We are honoured to present the National Assembly for Wales with our beautifully hand crafted, 18ct gold brooch.”
“Inspired by Fortuna Rocca’s design and containing rare Welsh gold, it is a piece that represents the heart of Wales and the wonderful heritage of ceremonial maces”.
Performances
- Students of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
- The National Youth Choir of Wales and Professor Paul Mealor
- Poem
- Only Boys Aloud
- Fanfares
- Anne Denholm
Guests
Timetable
| 11.30 | 21 Gun Salute |
| 11.40 | Royal Party arrives at the Senedd |
| 11.45 | Ceremony begins in the Siambr, performance by National Youth Choir of Wales |
| 12.00 | Wales Herald leads Royal Party out of the Siambr, Only Boys Aloud performance |
| 13.00 | Senedd re-opened to the public for free welsh cakes and tours |