Sweating uncomfortably under the incongruous TV lights, Britain's nobly dressed bishops, judges, peers and politicians jammed the House of Lords last week as Queen Elizabeth arrived in a glass coach and took her seat on a gilded throne. Up strode a graceful man in a wig, damask robe and black velvet breeches. Kneeling, he handed the monarch her speech. Kneeling, he took it back after Elizabeth had read it thus opening Parliament with a rit ual that has scarcely changed at all since the first Elizabeth performed it 400 years ago....
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