Her Majesty The Queen, alongside His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, will be visiting Cardiff on Thursday 14 October to attend the official opening of the sixth session of the Senedd.
Official Opening Order of Events
Arrival of the mace
Led by a mace-bearer from the Senedd’s Security team, Members of the Senedd and key guests will make their way into the Senedd building.
Royal Gun Salute
To mark the arrival of Her Majesty the Queen in Wales, a 21-gun salute will sound from outside the Pierhead as the Royal Party arrive at Cardiff Central Station.
Arrival of the Royal Party
As the Royal Party - Her Majesty the Queen, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall – arrive at the Senedd, a fanfare will be played.
As the Royal Party enter the Senedd, a Welsh National Youth Opera group will perform a unique rendition of ‘Ar Lan y Môr’.
Ceremony in the Siambr
During the official opening ceremony in the Siambr (the Senedd’s debating chamber), the ceremonial mace will be placed in its sconce to signify the official opening of the sixth Senedd.
Her Majesty the Queen will make a speech, as will the Llywydd of the Senedd, Elin Jones MS, and First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford MS.
Her Majesty will sign a commemorative parchment, accompanied by the Official Harpist to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Alis Huws.
This will be followed by a reading of a specially commissioned poem, Ein Llais (‘Your Voice’) by Welsh-language Children’s Laureate Gruffudd Owen. The poem will be read by two former members of the Welsh Youth Parliament.
Departure of the Royal Party
Tân Cerdd perform ‘Ymuno’, composed by Lily Beau and Eadyth Crawford to mark the Official Opening.
The Royal Party meet the Covid Community Champions before departing the Senedd.