A lot is being made of Queen Elizabeth II’s decision to issue the following:
To prorogue Parliament is to suspend the current session. The current session will be suspended between September 9 and 12. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the ‘Queen’s Speech’ will be delivered to Parliament at its new session on October 14, 2019. The ‘Queen’s Speech’ lays out the government’s plans for the coming year. It typically lists the main priorities and legislation the government aims to pass.
Queen Elizabeth reads the speech, written by the government. It is the highlight of a day of elaborate ceremony, known as the state opening of parliament, which marks the beginning of a new parliamentary session.
IS JOHNSON DOING ANYTHING UNUSUAL?
On the surface, no.
Typically, a Queen’s Speech is held every year. Johnson is a new prime minister, who took over from Theresa May in July, and so would be expected to have his own legislative priorities.
Because of the volume of legislation that was anticipated ahead of Brexit, the current parliamentary session has lasted more than two years. The last Queen’s Speech was in 2017.
The government says a new program is overdue.
Parliament is normally suspended for a few days ahead of a Queen’s Speech. In recent years this suspension has lasted for between five and 20 days…
On Oct. 14 the Queen will formally re-open parliament and deliver the speech. This will be followed by a debate lasting several days on the contents of the speech and culminating in votes on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22.
Winning these votes will be a crucial test of Johnson’s ability to govern.
However, if he loses and his government is subsequently toppled by a vote of no confidence, he would have scope to delay his resignation and a new election until after Oct. 31.
Between the speech being delivered and the votes upon it, Johnson will travel to Brussels in search of a last-minute, renegotiated exit deal. The summit takes place on Oct. 17-18.
In other words, Brexit will most likely go into effect whether or not a deal is reached with the EU, even if Boris Johnson’s government is toppled.
Many people interpret the Queen’s announcement to be a tacit support for Boris Johnson and Brexit. Her thoughts on the matter are not known and probably never will be known. The fact is that the Queen has not taken a political position. The Queen does what her Privy Council and the Prime Minister recommend.
As Wikipedia explains it:
Prorogation (pronounced /ˌproʊrəˈɡeɪʃən/) marks the end of a parliamentary session. It is the formal name given to the period between the end of a session of the UK Parliament and the State Opening of Parliament that begins the next session. Prorogation of one session of Parliament in recent decades has usually been followed by the opening of a new session a few days later. The parliamentary session may also be prorogued before Parliament is dissolved. The power to prorogue Parliament belongs to the Monarch as part of the Royal Prerogative, on the advice of the Privy Council, but is not usually turned down if requested by the prime minister.
Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown to open Parliament, reading the Queen’s Speech.
Stella's Place 
If you are interested, here is the Queen’s Speech from 2017.
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I wondered why the Queen wasn’t wearing her robes and crown, and found this:
Traditionally the Queen arrives for the State Opening of Parliament in a gilded carriage and wears her Imperial State Crown and robes of state.
Today she was driven to Westminster by car, and wore a blue coat with matching hat.
Her crown was taken in its own car and was carried by an officer of state. The Sword of State and Cap of Maintenance were also carried into the House of Lords.
She was accompanied by Prince Charles, who stepped in for his father Prince Philip at the last minute, after he was rushed to hospital with an infection.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/819621/Queens-Speech-queen-elizabeth-wearing-crown-robes-state-opening-parliament
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I love the part of the ceremony where the door to the House of Commons is slammed shut to the sovereign, and they must knock to request entry.
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The history (from Wikipedia):
Motioned by the monarch, the Lord Great Chamberlain raises his wand of office to signal to the Gentleman/Lady Usher of the Black Rod (known as Black Rod), who is charged with summoning the House of Commons and has been waiting in the Central Lobby. Black Rod turns and, under the escort of the Door-keeper of the House of Lords and a police inspector, proceeds to the Members’ Lobby of the House of Commons, and reaches the doors of the Commons.
In 1642, King Charles I stormed into the House of Commons in an unsuccessful attempt to arrest the Five Members, who included the celebrated English patriot and leading parliamentarian John Hampden. Since that time, no British monarch has entered the House of Commons when it is sitting.
On Black Rod’s approach, the Doorkeeper of the Commons orders that the doors are slammed shut against them, symbolising the rights of parliament and its independence from the monarch. The Usher of the Black Rod then strikes with the end of their ceremonial staff (the Black Rod) three times on the closed doors of the Commons Chamber, and is then admitted. (There is a mark on the door of the Commons showing the repeated indentations made by Black Rods over the years.) The Sergeant-at-Arms introduces Black Rod. At the bar, Black Rod bows to the Speaker before proceeding to the table, bowing again, and announcing the command of the monarch for the attendance of the Commons, in the following words:
Mr [or Madam] Speaker, The Queen commands this honourable House [pauses to bow to both sides of the House] to attend Her Majesty immediately in the House of Peers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Opening_of_Parliament
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Thank you, Stella, I didn’t know any of that.
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Thank you,Stella, for the expansive description of the Prorogation process. While I’m heartened to learn that Parliament will be boxed in for a time, I still worry that there will be a couple of weeks in October to scuttle Brexit (no-deal). Perhaps that is not enough time for hi-jinx. Great complement to the material over on CTH!
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Thank you.
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