Question: Does one say the special beracha on seeing the King?
Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 9b; 19b; 58a) teaches that if one has
the opportunity to see a king, one must make an effort to do so (See Shulchan
Aruch OC 224:9). Upon seeing him, one says “Baruch.. shenasan michvodo
lebasar vedam, Blessed are You.. Who has given from His own glory to people”.
The Mishna Berura (224:13) writes that one should even interrupt learning Torah
to see the king if they are accompanied by a royal procession.
The
Magen Avraham (224:5) and the Chasam Sofer (OC 159) write that one only recites
the beracha if the head of state has the power to execute or pardon one
from the death penalty. Therefore, R’ Chaim Elazar Shapira (Minchas Elazar 5:7:3) and R’ Moshe Stern (Baer Moshe 2:9) write
that one would not recite the beracha upon seeing a monarch who has no
such power. R’
Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Daas 2:28; Yabia Omer OC 8:22:25) writes that if one saw
such a king or queen one would recite the beracha without saying
Hashem’s name. Additionally, one would only recite the full beracha if
they were wearing their royal clothes. Thus, he relates that when President
Nixon came to Eretz Yisrael, they recited the beracha without Hashem’s
name as the President was wearing normal clothes.
Nonetheless,
R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 1:35) and R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Teshuvos
Vehanhagos 2:139) write that the honour shown counts more than the power they
may have. Thus, one would not say the beracha upon seeing the US
President as they are voted in and out of office every few years. The King of
England, however, receives much more honour as a monarch, and is responsible
for signing every law. R’ Sternbuch relates that R’ Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld once
had a private audience with the King of Jordan and he recited the beracha.
One would recite the beracha even when the monarch is not accompanied by
an entourage.
In conclusion, the minhag in the UK has always been to recite the beracha complete with Hashem’s name upon seeing the King or Queen.
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