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TheSolemn Opening of the Parliament (Spanish:Solemne Apertura de las Cortes Generales) of theKingdom of Spain is an event which takes place approximately in the second week after theinvestiture of thePresident of the Government. For this celebration, all theDeputies andSenators that forms theCortes Generales are summoned, as well as theGovernment and the main officials of theJudiciary. The event takes place in theChamber ofCongress of the Deputies of thePalace of the Cortes. It is carried out between large security measures, both inside and outside of the Palace of the Cortes.
Firstly,The King arrives at thePalace of the Cortes, wearing theCongressional and Senate Gold Medals and escorted by the Royal Escort. Once there, he is received by thePresident of the Government and by theChief of the Defence Staff; later, the national anthem is played and the King reviews thebattalion of honors formed by members of thethree armies and theCivil Guard. Then, the King and hisfamily approach at the steps of the Palace of the Cortes where they greet the presidents (speakers) of the Congress and Senate as well as the members of theBureaus of both chambers (In Spain, a Bureau is the governing body of a legislative chamber, formed by the President of the chamber, the vice presidents and the secretaries). It is in that moment when it is reached, according to some, the most exciting and symbolic moment of the event, which is the opening of the Doors of the Lions of the Congress. These doors are only open in very special moments.
Finally, the Monarch arrives at thehemicycle of the Congress of the Deputies, where he receives a greatovation, and then starts the speeches; the first is the speech of thePresident of the Congress and later, theKing's speech.
To finish off the act, a few official portraits of the King with the mainauthorities of thethree powers of the State are taken, in addition to greeting the guests. In the outside, amilitary parade is carried out to finalizes the act.[1]
