A year ago, my exclamations of disappointment could be heard in Aberdeen.
I had left my sixth-form prom tiara at home!
A serious faux-pas it transpired, as the ladies in all their finery filed into the House of Lords chamber below the press gallery.
This time around, however, I sighed with relief, happy the high-street memento was safely tucked away in its box.
After all, I would have ended up upstaging Her Majesty, an even bigger social blunder methinks.
Clad in a “day dress” blue jacket and hat combination, rather than the traditional ceremonial robes – the crown on a table rather than atop the monarch’s head and a handbag at her side – it felt more like a school Mufti day than the State Opening of Parliament.
Accordingly, “no decorations” were allowed, although there were fascinators aplenty on show. How very Royal Ascot…
Similarly, the usual horse-drawn carriage was replaced with a car.
A slimmed-down, simplified spectacle, for a slimmed-down Queen’s Speech, necessitated by Theresa May’s decision to call a snap general election.
Sadly, the Duke of Edinburgh was also missing from the procession, having been taken to hospital.
Another Philip – one Mr May – watched from above and, for a brief moment, I thought he might stand in.
But Prince Charles duly obliged.
Amid all the differences, thankfully one thing remained the same -good, old, reliable Labour veteran Dennis Skinner, always on hand with a witty quip.
“Get your skates on, the first race is half past two,” cried the Beast of Bolsover as Black Rod informed MPs in the Commons their presence was requested in the Lords.
Some had speculated the Queen – whose diary had to be changed after the speech was delayed by two days – would gallop through it, keen to get off to the ponies.
But, in the event, it was so short – nine minutes – that she was able to take it at a “strong and stable” trot.