One of the small tweaks introduced this year to the pomp and circumstance of the Queen’s Speech will come as some relief to her Majesty.

In previous years the Queen has been forced to wait for ten minutes or more on the huge, ornate throne in the House of Lords while the gentleman usher Black Rod marches right across the Palace of Westminster to collect the MPs from the House of Commons and lead them into the upper chamber.
This year, Sky News informs us, Black Rod has been allowed to wait in the central lobby so that he can round up the Commons and usher them in as quickly as possible. Which is nice, when one has to hang around in a great big heavy crown.