Today's visit was to a venerable British institution, the Houses of Parliament. It is also one of the most recognizable sights in London. Many tourists, myself included, wouldn't call a London vacation complete without catching a glimpse of its gothic towers and old Big Ben. Parliament is located in what used to be, until Henry VIII moved to Hampton Court, a royal palace. We were led into Winchester Palace, as it is still known, by the Sovereign's Route. This is the route taken by the monarch when she (or, in the past, he) visits Parliament for the annual speech. The Queen only visits Parliament once a year, and by law may never enter the House of Commons. This is a direct result of the reign of Charles I, who entered the House of Commons with an armed force and the intention to arrest his opponents. He remains the only British monarch to be executed, and his signed death warrant is still on display on the Sovereign's Route. It makes me wonder if the display is removed when the Queen arrives. Perhaps it is left out as a grisly reminder of what happens to monarchs who overstep their power. Frightening.The palace was rebuilt in 1845 after a fire, and the current building reflects the power and influence of Victoria, who was queen at the time. Her initials, V.R., for Victoria Regina, can be seen everywhere in the carvings, and Prince Albert was in charge of selecting the artwork still on display in the palace. The art centers around two themes: King Arthur and royalty. There are several paintings promoting the virtues of the round table crew, and the remainder are of British royalty. The House of Lords is very impressive, all red leather and dark wood, with the unmistakable presence of the gilt throne at one end. The throne is blocked off by a gate at all times, except when the Queen arrives for the annual speech. At that time, the gates are removed and a second throne added for Prince Phillip. Our guide explained that, although there is space for Prince Charles and Princess Anne on the dais, neither has attended in recent years. Through the opposite end of the House of Lords is the small chamber that connects to the House of Commons. In it are several statues of the better-known prime ministers in Britain's past. My personal favorites were, of course, Winston Churchill and Britain's first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher.
The House of Commons is slightly less imposing than the House of Lords, due to the lack of the throne, but I gather it is a much livelier scene. There are two lines to either side of the chamber, separating the left benches from the right. These lines are called sword-lines, and are said to be exactly two sword-lengths apart. They were placed there to keep members of parliament from "having a go" at each other. Our guide also took us through the side chambers, where MP's line up to have their votes counted. It seems to me that they have an ingeniously simple process, here. In order to vote in the House of Commons, you must be physically present to be counted. It cuts out the worry about people placing votes for absent members, whether with or without permission. Perhaps Congress should consider this system!
After viewing the two primary sites for governing the United Kingdom, we were led into St. Stephen's Hall. It is now an entrance gallery, but it is also the site of the original House of Commons. This is the area where, according to our guide, Benjamin Franklin appealed to the British government for independence. The House of Commons as it exists today is an almost exact replica of the original, which was bombed in the blitz during World War II. It's a shame that it was damaged, but at the same time the new layout seems like it would be more convenient for running the government. The House of Commons now runs parallel to the House of Lords, rather than perpendicular to it. It has a certain symmetry, I think.
Our exit from Parliament was through Westminster Hall, which once housed the Courts of Justice. It was surreal to think that we were standing on the site where famous and infamous alike had stood to face their fates. William Wallace, of Braveheart fame, St. Thomas More and Charles I were all tried in this location. Interestingly enough, all were put to death. I'd hate to draw any conclusions about the British system of justice from this circumstance! It was a fascinating and new experience, to view the center of a foreign government. Although the two systems are quite different, there are some significant similarities as well.
