Sarah Clarke has become the first woman to hold the ceremonial and administrative position of Black Rod in Britain's House of Lords. (AFP Photo/Victoria Jones) |
London
(AFP) - Sarah Clarke, the former director of the Wimbledon tennis
championships, on Tuesday became the first woman to hold the post of
"Black Rod" in the British Parliament.
Clarke was
introduced in the House of Lords as "Lady Usher of the Black Rod",
breaking its 650-year history of men only.
Tasked with
banging on the House of Commons door to summon MPs to the Queen's Speech every
year, Black Rod plays a key role in parliamentary events.
The name
Black Rod derives from the ebony staff, topped with a golden lion, that the
official uses to knock three times on the door.
Besides
ceremonial duties, the British parliament website says the Black Rod is
responsible for controlling access to and maintaining order within the upper
Lords chamber.
Clarke,
replacing David Leakey who retired, said she was "both deeply honoured and
delighted" when her appointment was announced last year.
"The
House of Lords is a place where the smallest detail is as important as the big
picture and the depth of heritage and tradition is second to none," she
said.
Clarke was
presented with the ceremonial ebony staff last week by Queen Elizabeth II at
Buckingham Palace.
Sarah Clarke breaks centuries of male dominance in Britain's @UKHouseofLords https://t.co/hPFCZliHcw pic.twitter.com/kVFox8twrF— AFP news agency (@AFP) February 21, 2018
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