Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. All News Sport Culture Lifestyle Black Rod summons MPs to House of Lords for King's Speech The King's Speech tradition involves Black Rod , a senior Lords officer, being sent to the House of Commons to summon Members of Parliament to the House of Lords to hear the monarch's address. A key part of this centuries-old ritual is the slamming of the Commons door in Black Rod's face, symbolising the Commons' independence from the Crown, before permission is granted to enter after three knocks. During this year's ceremony, Black Rod Ed Davis was heckled by a backbench MP as he performed the traditional knocking on the Commons chamber door.…