The Supreme Court in London has been officially opened by the Queen on 16 October 2009. This will be the highest court in the United Kingdom. The Duke of Edinburgh was also in attendance at the nation's highest court, The Law Lord's new home at now housed in the former Middlesex Guildhall, a neo-gothic building in Parliament Square.
The Law Lords, now styled Justices of the Supreme Court, were joined by counterparts from across the globe for the opening. The Prime Minister Gordon Brown was also among the guests.
The UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw hailed the court as 'public, accessible, visible' as he told the gathered audience the new institution is a significant improvement on the previous system.
Mr Straw, who wore similar black and gold robes to the justices, said: 'The Law Lords have served the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth jurisdictions with great distinction over many decades.
'But the institution of the Law Lords was opaque and was obscured from public view. 'In this place we now have this court - public, accessible, visible - situated in this square at the heart of our nation's history over a millennium.'
The justices have already heard their first appeal - a challenge last week to the powers of Government ministers to create laws without a vote in Parliament.
-Agencies
