In Pictures: The Queen's Speech

Members of the Household Cavalry arrive outside the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament on 18 November 2009 in London

Pomp, ceremony and tradition form a large part of the State Opening of Parliament. Here, the Household Cavalry arrive at the Palace of Westminster.

Yeomen of the Guard conduct a ceremonial search at the House of Lords before the State Opening of Parliament

The Yeomen of the Guard search the House of Lords before proceedings begin. This tradition dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

Written by the government and delivered by the monarch, the Queen's Speech sets out the legislative agenda for the year ahead.

The prime minister's wife, Sarah Brown, attended the event, which is one of the high points of the parliamentary calendar.

Another of the ceremonial trappings: the official known as Black Rod summons MPs to the House of Lords to hear the Queen's Speech and has the door to the Commons slammed in his face.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip walk through the Royal Gallery in Westminster on 18 November 18 as the Queen prepares to address the State Opening of Parliament

Key measures in the Queen's Speech included a crackdown on excesses in the financial world and a legal obligation to halve the budget deficit within four years.

Queen Elizabeth II during the State Opening of Parliament in Westminster, London

Keeping with tradition, the Queen delivered the speech from the grand throne in the Lords.

Gordon Brown, seen here with opposition leader David Cameron, put economic recovery at the heart of his final set of plans before the general election, due by June next year.