Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle: History of the black and gold Robe of State and jabot and cuffs. 

Yeah, I got the reference!

The King hasnt been allowed since the 1st Charles

Yes, the public can enter the House of Commons public gallery, but the monarch cannot enter any parts of the commons, he/she can enter the House of Lords though

The King by convention isn’t allowed in the Commons Chamber and the reason is that back in the early 1640s Charles I attempted to arrest 5 MPs and marched on Parliament with his army. This was a turning point in the power of the Commons as the then Speaker, William Lenthall, stood up to the King when he demanded that the MPs be given up to him. Lenthall refused the authority of the King in Parliament and Charles could do nothing but leave the chamber defeated. The Commons subsequently decreed that no Monarch should ever again be allowed across the threshold of the Commons Chamber. Nowadays, the King has to send his representative in Parliament, Black Rod, to ask the MPs to go to the Lords Chamber to listen to the King’s speech as the Monarch can go no further than the Lords Chamber. The ceremonial slamming of the doors in Black Rod’s face when she arrives at the Commons Chamber is a leftover piece of defiance against the King from the MPs. Members of the public can attend debates for free any day that Parliament is in session and can go on paid tours on Saturdays and recesses, which take you onto the floor of the Commons and Lords Chambers.

@@richjermy7930 Thanks for the history lesson! May foreign nationals, like myself, also enter the public gallery to watch the debates in the Commons or in the Lords? I'm from the US, and for reasons I can't explain even to myself, UK parliamentary debate fascinates me to no end.

@@beenaplumber8379 yes, people from other countries are allowed into the public galleries for the Commons and Lords to watch the debates. It’s free and you can just turn up at the main visitor entrance on the day (sometimes you may have to queue).

Only one

Yeah I wish they still did

It’s a choice made by the speaker on if they want to wear the wig or not

Hoyle wanted to but they don't have one anymore as Betty and Bercow never wore it

Same as people wearing pjs to shops, standards deteriating in society in so many ways.

@@SleepExports Those are not deteriorating standards. They are changing standards. It happens every time younger people take over. They make things the way they want them to be. Your generation and mine did it too.

Anyone but that

Oh I love Sir Lindsay! He manages debate in an effective yet cheerful way, and with a sense of humor! (Yeah, I'm American.) Bercow had this way of speaking as if he was fed up with everything. He sounded as if he was in a perpetually foul mood, even when he clearly was not.

Still better than most members of parliament rn

better than bercow

He seems very fair to me, and unafraid to hold ministers to decorum as he would any other MP. Just today during PMQ he twice admonished the PM that during PMQ it was his job to answer questions, not to ask them. And he's so cheerful when he does that!

@@beenaplumber8379 I agree that the speaker is meant to be impartial, and in my opinion, he is very fair and kind. This is in contrast to his predecessor, who was banned from parliament for life by an independent report due to confirmed instances of staff bullying.

@@reprep4821 Wow! I did not know that about Bercow! He always seemed to be in a foul mood, but I thought that was just his leadership style in the Commons chamber. If he was banned for life, the infractions must have been pretty serious.