From Buckingham Palace the Queen went in State on the 17th of July to close
Parliament. The carriage, with the eight cream-coloured horses, was used.
As far as we can judge, this was the first appearance in her Majesty's
reign of "the creams," so dear to the London populace. The carriage was
preceded by the Marshalmen, a party of the Yeomen of the Guard in State
costumes, and runners. The fourth carriage, drawn by six black horses,
contained the Marchioness of Lansdowne, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Duke
of Argyle, Lord Steward and Gold Stick in Waiting. The Queen was
accompanied by the Earl of Albemarle, Master of the Horse, and the Countess
of Mulgrave, the Lady-in-Waiting. The procession, escorted by a squadron of
the Horse Guards, moved into Whitehall, and was cheered in Parliament
Street by deafening shouts from a mass of spectators lining the streets and
covering the house-tops. On arriving opposite the entrance of the House of
Lords her Majesty was received by a battalion of the Grenadier Guards,
whose splendid band, when she alighted, played the National Anthem.

Thus heralded, the young Queen entered the old Houses of Parliament, seated
herself on the throne of her ancestors, and accorded her maiden reception
to her loyal Lords and faithful Commons. This was the first occasion in a
great assembly that people remarked the natural gift which has proved a
valuable possession to her Majesty, and has never failed to awaken the
admiration of the hearers. We allude to the peculiar silvery clearness, as
well as sweetness, of a voice which can be heard in its most delicate
modulations through the whole House. In reply to the Speaker of the House
of Commons' assurance of the Commons' cordial participation in that strong
and universal feeling of dutiful and affectionate attachment which
prevailed among the free and loyal people of which they were the
representatives, the Queen read her speech in an unfaltering voice,
thanking the Parliament for its condolence upon the death of his late