Thread by @JusticeTyrwhit

The members of the royal commission (to prorogue parliament) are in their seats, about to execute their warrant

They announced, "Let the Commons know the lords commissioners desire their presence to hear the commission read"

The Black Rod is taking the message to the House of Commons

All quiet in the House of Lords while they await the attendance of the commons to hear the reading of the commission for the prorogation of parliament

At the head tweet, the baroness in the centre is Baroness Evans of Bowes Park, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

The Speaker of the Commons and members are attending the lords. The bow to the commissioners.

The lords commissioners bow back

Baroness Evans, Lord Privy Seal, reads the commission;

"My lords and members of the house of Commons. Her majesty, not thinking fit to be personally present here at this time, has been pleased to cause a commission to be issued under the great seal and thereby given her royal assent to an act that has been agreed upon by both houses

of parliament, the title whereof is particularly mentioned, and by the said commission has commanded us to declare and notify her royal assent to the said act in the presence of you, the lords and commons assembled for that purpose, and has also assigned to us

and other lords directed full power and authority in her majesty's name to prorogue this present parliament, which commission you will now hear read;

[The commission is read by the Clerk of the Parliaments] 'Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of our other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith,

'To our right, trusty and right well-beloved The Lords Spiritual and Temporal and to our trusty and well-beloved, the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons, in this present parliament assembled, greeting; for as much as in our said parliament an act has been

agreed upon by you our loving subjects, the lords spiritual and temporal and the commons, the short title of which is set forth in the schedule hereto, but the said act is not in force and effect without our royal assent, and for as much as we cannot be present in our higher

house of our said parliament, being the accustomed place for the giving of assent to such acts, has been agreed upon by you our said subjects, the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons... commanding also our well-beloved and faithful counsellor Robert James Buckland,

Chancellor of Great Britain, to seal these our letters with the great seal of our realm". [Commons cheer, "Hear hear!"].

The clerk of the parliaments then mentions the holders of the royal commission, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Fowler (when he mentions Lord Fowler, the noble lord doffs his cap), Baroness Evans (she nods) and

Lord Hope of Craighead (former Deputy President of the Supreme Court) and reads the commission that says they can endorse the act on her behalf, and the clerk says that the act is duly assented to. And now the prorogation, the clerk reads;

"And whereas we did lately for diverse difficult and pressing affairs concerning us, the state and defence of our United Kingdom and church ordain this present parliament to begin and be holden at Westminster the 13th day of June in the 66th year of our reign, on which day our

said parliament was begun and holden and is there now holden, know ye that for certain pressing causes and considerations us especially moving, we have thought fit to prorogue the said parliament. We therefore confiding very much in the fidelity, prudence and circumspection

of you our commissioners aforesaid, have by the advice and consent of our council, assigned you our commissioners... full power and authority in our name to prorogue and continue our said parliament at our city of Westminster, on a day no earlier than Monday 9th day of September

and a day no later than Thursday 12th day of September, until Monday 14th day of October. We command that you diligently attend the premises and effectually fulfill them in manner aforesaid. We also command all and singular, our archbishops, bishops, lords, baronets, knights,

citizens and burgesses, to meet at our said parliament, that they observe, obey and assist you in executing the premises as they ought to do. In witness whereof we have caused these our latters to be made patent, witnessed ourself at Westminster, the 10th day of September, the

68th year of our reign, by the queen herself, signed with her own hand". End of commission. The Lord Privy Seal then declares that the aforesaid act is assented to.

The clerks then read the name of the bills to be assented to. One clerk reads the name of the act (in this case, "Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act"

The other clerk then turns and says to the house, "La reyne le veult", which means "The queen wills it" in medieval Norman French.

The lords commissioners then read a queen's speech, which is a government statement on their priorities (I think it's unusual for them to do it at that time, they usually do it at the start of a session)

The commons standing at the bar of the house. In the olden days, lawyers would argue causes at the bar of the house, particularly in private divorce bills (you used to need an act of parliament to get divorced).

Finally, Lord Privy Seal Baroness Parkes says, "And in obediance to her majesty's commands, prorogue this parliament to Monday 14th day of October, to be then here holden, and this parliament is accordingly prorogued". Lord Commissioners doff their caps to the commons at the bar

The commons step back from the bar and bow (but this time, it's to the queen, like how one bows upon entering a high court; it is to the queen, and not the judge)

The commons file out, and now the sitting is to adjourn / prorogue, the sergeant-at-arms carries the royal mace out of the house.

As it is carried out, the clerks and lords/ladies and staff bow to the royal mace

And that's it. After the mace is out, the camera pans up to the clock above the door, and the transmission is cut! End (phew)