Question
Is it harmful to my queen palm if I cut off the flower pod before or during it's blooming?

Answer
Hi Katy, no, you can prune it off at any stage of the development without doing any harm at all to the Palm, just be careful when you cut it, that you don't inadvertently cut a frond also, even touching the frond with the saw may weaken it to a state where it will snap off from the weight on the stem. I usually wait until the inflorescence opens, there is less weight and it it is easier to get a clean cut. Nick