Out For The Count

Audible Crash As Queen's Page Boy Collapses At Opening of Parliament

A glittering spectacle of British pomp and majesty it may be, but the clothes are rather tight, and the room is somewhat airless.

Still, it was a first today when one of the Queen's page boys went down - with a thump loud enough to be captured on the audio broadcasts of the event - as the Queen made her traditional speech opening parliament and setting out the legislative program for the next year of government.

The collapse may have been caused by shock; The incident occurred as the Queen told MPs that the Government will work towards a 'comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran'.

Pro that she is the monarch didn't get distracted but carried right on with her speech.

The four page boys listed in today's programme were Hugo Bertie, Viscount Aithrie, Charles Armstrong-Jones and Arthur Chatto.

A House of Lords spokesman refused to identify which of the boys had fainted.

The spokesman said: "We can confirm one of the page boys did faint slightly but he is now fine. He is with his family and there is no problem."

The three remaining page boys assisted the Queen as she left the Lords after she completed the speech.

Mark Pritchard, the Conservative MP, told Politicshome: "As ever, Her Majesty was the consummate professional".

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Tom SykesEuropean Editor at Large

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