Queen Elizabeth has confirmed that she will not attend the State Opening of Parliament, scheduled to be held on Tuesday, May 10th, 2022. This will be the first time that the monarch will miss the epic event in 59 years. It is understood that the monarch’s medical condition is the reason behind her decision to opt out of the key government function.
Buckingham Palace disclosed that Prince Charles will represent the monarch at Parliament and Prince William will also grace the occasion. Also, the palace confirmed that the Prince of Wales will read the Queen’s Speech in her place.
Prince Charles Will Represent The Queen At The Royal Event
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said, “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. 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.”
Before now, Queen Elizabeth has only failed to go to the annual opening of Parliament on two occasions over the course of her 70-year reign. The two instances were in 1959 and 1963, when she was expecting Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, respectively. It is understood that arrangements were made for the monarch to be transported from her Windsor Castle home to Westminster for the event. However, the sovereign’s current mobility concerns have seen the plans scraped.
The State Opening of Parliament is an event that is held in front of both Houses of Parliament every year. The serving King or Queen of England, as the case may be, sporting the Imperial State Crown, delivers an address that has been organised by his or her government. The speech is supposed to provide key details about strategies that the monarch has put in place for that parliamentary year. People think that the state opening of parliament is one of the most important events for parliament.
