Everything we know about Black Rod
THE State Opening of Parliament sees the monarch deliver a speech known as the King’s or Queen’s Speech. An official known as Black Rod plays a big part during the day’s events, b…
www.the-sun.comHere’s the latest I can provide based on recent public reporting:
- The UK Parliament’s Black Rod position was recently held by Sarah Clarke, with Lieutenant General Ed Davis succeeding her in July 2025. This indicates a leadership transition within the last year, with Ed Davis now serving as the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.[1]
- Ed Davis brings a background as a Royal Marines officer and former Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar, highlighting a continuity of ceremonial duties plus leadership experience for the role.[1]
- The Black Rod role remains focused on access control, order within the Lords, and coordination of ceremonial events at Westminster, including State Openings of Parliament, security coordination, and related relocation and contingency planning as part of Parliament’s broader security and operations framework.[2][3]
If you’d like, I can compile a brief timeline of notable Black Rod transitions and summarize the ceremonial duties and security responsibilities with direct quotes or citations from the sources above.