State Opening of Parliament 1958

For the first time, television cameras were allowed in to the House of Lords to broadcast the State Opening of Parliament ceremony on 28 October 1958. Although not without political significance the BBC treats it almost entirely as a state occasion, with commentary from Richard Dimbleby and coverage concentrating on the pageantry rather than the significance of the government's legislative programme.

Image shows a Marconi Mk III Image Orthicon camera in the House of Lords Chamber. The coverage was shown on BBC Parliament in 2008 to mark the 50th anniversary of the event, introduced by Carolyn Quinn.