The Robes of State represent the pinnacle of English heraldic and ceremonial costume, distinct from Parliamentary Robes or the Supertunica used during the religious phases of the Coronation. For the Sovereign, the Robe of State (or Parliament Robe) consists of a lengthy train of crimson velvet lined with ermine and bordered with gold lace, worn upon entry to Westminster Abbey or during the State Opening of Parliament. It symbolizes the monarch's temporal authority and dignity as the head of the three estates of the realm.
For the peerage, Robes of State are defined by specific gradations of rank, indicated by the 'miniver' or ermine rows (bars) on the cape. A Duke is entitled to four bars, a Marquess three and a half, an Earl three, a Viscount two and a half, and a Baron two. These vestments trace their lineage to the 14th-century development of the livery of the Household and remain a critical element of feudal continuity within the High Court of Parliament, asserting the stratified order of the nobility under the Crown.