Last week, two pieces of news came out within a few hours. One, Queen Elizabeth II would completely miss this year’s garden party season, which includes several garden parties at Buckingham Palace, catered by BP chefs, and given in honor of random British people, like teachers, artists, writers, engineers, etc. The Queen is said to enjoy garden parties a great deal, and it’s always a big deal to see which royals she asks to accompany her at which party. This year, it will be about which royals go in her place at the garden parties. Anyway, the second piece of news – somewhat buried on purpose – was that the Queen still intended to attend the state opening of Parliament, but would make her final decision closer to the day. Well, the state opening is today (it’s happening right now). And the Queen said “nope” on Monday evening.
Queen Elizabeth will miss the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday due to “mobility problems,” Buckingham Palace announced on Monday.
Her absence marks just the third time she’s missed the traditional occasion during her 70-year reign. (Her first two absences occurred when she was pregnant.) Her son, Prince Charles, and grandson, Prince William, will attend on her behalf. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall will also be in attendance.
“The Queen continues to experience episodic mobility problems, and in consultation with her doctors has reluctantly decided that she will not attend the State Opening of Parliament tomorrow,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Monday.
“At Her Majesty’s request, and with the agreement of the relevant authorities, The Prince of Wales will read The Queen’s speech on Her Majesty’s behalf, with The Duke of Cambridge also in attendance,” the statement concluded.
Is this the first time Prince William will attend the state opening? I think so. Usually, for years, the Queen would attend the opening with Prince Philip, with both of them in their full regalia. In recent years, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have attended, sitting off to the side. Last year, it was QEII, Charles and Camilla and that’s it. So… yeah. Curious about Prince Regent Charles’s speech. Curious about how Just Call Me William will behave. We’ll see.
Breaking News!
“My Lords, pray be seated.”
For the first time, the Prince of Wales—one day King Charles—addresses Lords at the #StateOpeningofParliament. The Imperial State Crown (which still travelled to Westminster despite the Queen’s absence) to his right, Camilla and William either side. pic.twitter.com/GHouYiJ0Lm
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) May 10, 2022
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.
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North America Rights Only – Cambridge, UK -20211123- The Prince of Wales visits AstraZenaca’s official open of their new global Research and Development facility at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
-PICTURED: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
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London, United Kingdom. State Opening of Parliament. Royal Gallery.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by Prince Charles, walks through the Royal Gallery before delivering her speech at the State Opening of Parliament.,Image: 539313887, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – [email protected] London: 44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: 1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: 49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- Britain’s Queen Elizabeth sits on the Sovereign’s Throne next to Prince Charles before reading the Queen’s Speech during the State Opening of Parliament at the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain December 19, 2019.,Image: 541215823, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – [email protected] London: 44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: 1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: 49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II ahead of the Queen’s Speech in the House of Lord’s Chamber during the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on May 11, 2021 in London, England.,Image: 610283321, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: ©Eddie Mulholland / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 11: Queen Elizabeth II arrives with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales in the House of Lord’s Chamber during the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on May 11, 2021 in London, England.,Image: 610284265, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 11: Queen Elizabeth II ahead of the Queen’s Speech in the House of Lord’s Chamber during the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on May 11, 2021 in London, England.,Image: 610288342, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 11: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall during the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on May 11, 2021 in London, England.,Image: 610288433, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during the State Opening of Parliament by Queen Elizabeth II, in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in London.
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- Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II (CL) reads the Queen’s Speech on the The Sovereign’s Throne in the House of Lords next to Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (CR) during the State Opening of Parliament in the Houses of Parliament in London on October 14, 2019. – The State Opening of Parliament is where Queen Elizabeth II performs her ceremonial duty of informing parliament about the government’s agenda for the coming year in a Queen’s Speech.
