The opening of the legal year: heavy robes, tourist selfies - and that choir

Unlike the senior judicial figures, lord chancellor Alex Norris stood up to speak at his swearing in. In doing so, he answered a question I had been pondering. ‘Forgive me if I stand. These robes are heavy both figuratively and literally.’

It got a laugh and Norris was off to a good start. The fifth non-lawyer to take the position in modern times promised the lady chief justice and the judiciary that he would listen, learn, ‘be intellectually curious’ and to ‘work with you and the entire system to deliver best outcomes’.

Another laugh came from the lady chief’s justice speech. Addressing the new attorney general Ellie Reeves, who took her oath alongside incoming solicitor general Andy Slaughter, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill welcomed Reeves and her family – ‘including your husband, Lord Cryer [ex MP John Cryer], who on this occasion, unlike in the Constitution Committee, must listen to me without question’.

The same sentiment was echoed to Slaughter, who recently served as chair of the Commons justice select committee. ‘Again, as with Lord Cryer, the shoe is on the other foot today.’ A chuckle rippled through courtroom 4.

After a historically-heavy speech from bar chair Kirsty Brimelow KC and a speech sprinkled with a little Welsh from Law Society president Mark Evans, things wrapped up, and I ran – via the tube – to Westminster Abbey for the opening of the legal year. 

Waiting outside the Supreme Court for fellow invited journalists was a real joy. As judges came spilling out of the court in their robes and wigs to head to the ceremony, tourists seemed to lose their minds. A crowd gathered.

I watched tourists take pictures with as many judges as they could, collecting them like stamps or Pokémon (depending on your age). I saw a fellow ask a judge to take a photo of him with other judges. I heard a judge ask if the group asking for a photo wanted her to put her wig on (obviously) and I heard another judge explain the opening of the legal year to two curious travellers while another visitor stood in the middle of it all with his selfie stick held high completing a slow 360 spin, his closed mouth smile frozen to his face.

Soon after I walked into a sea of wigs and robes amongst the stone columns and stained glass of Westminster Abbey. I became just like aforementioned tourists as I snapped a few photos. I did not ask any judges for a selfie, it should be noted.

Highlights of the ceremony were, undoubtedly, the choir. I had goosebumps the entire time and the fact we do not clap and cheer for choirs after a performance, even during a ceremony, is a real shame.

Best dressed goes to a gentleman in a splendid red robe complete with a large white trim and some black tassels which could have been worn by royalty and would have looked perfectly in place. I was told he was an Italian judge. I wondered how heavy it was. He did not take his seat for ages so maybe they were as heavy as Norris’ robes.

After readings from the lady chief justice and Norris, a sermon, prayers, the singing of a hymn and the national anthem, the procession of judges made their way out.

As we left, I resisted the temptation to hide behind something so I could meander around enjoying the abbey’s splendour. The judges headed off to their breakfast (unfortunately no invite for me) and I headed off to reality which involves a lot less pomp and history - sad, but alas it was good to live in it for a morning.