After ‘mobility issues’ forced her to miss the ceremony for the first time in 59 years, the Queen, 96, ‘reluctantly’ pulled out at the last minute
After ‘mobility issues’ forced her to miss the ceremony for the first time in 59 years, the Queen, 96, ‘reluctantly’ pulled out at the last minute. Her Majesty’s throne will remain unoccupied and Charles will read remarks accompanied by William.
Because of her increasing mobility challenges, the Queen was obliged to retire from today’s State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years yesterday night.
For the first time, Prince Charles will read her speech, accompanied by Prince William, who has never attended before.
The monarch will watch proceedings on television from Windsor as the Sovereign’s Throne in the House of Lords remains symbolically empty.
Questions over whether the increasingly fragile 96-year-old monarch will ever return to the Palace of Westminster will certainly arise.
The Queen’s Speech, describing her government’s intentions and planned legislation for the next legislative session, is read at the State Opening of Parliament, which is one of the monarch’s most important public tasks.
Buckingham Palace had frequently stated that the Queen ‘hoped’ to attend until yesterday morning. She has only missed the ceremony twice in her reign, when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew in 1959 and Prince Edward in 1963, and the speech was read by the Lord Chancellor at the time.
Despite efforts to reduce her need to walk, there was no doubt that the high-profile event would have been physically challenging for her.
The Queen would have had to walk into the chamber despite the fact that she has taken the lift into the building since 2016 and officials had secretly discussed a private ‘wheelchair-friendly route.’
Following yesterday’s meetings with her doctors, the palace stated last night that she had ‘reluctantly’ decided to pull out.
It is claimed that she is still suffering from the ‘episodic mobility problems’ that have affected her since last year, forcing her to cancel a succession of high-profile public appearances.
‘The Queen continues to have episodic mobility problems and, after consulting with her physicians, has reluctantly decided not to attend the State Opening of Parliament tomorrow,’ her spokesman said.
‘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.’
Despite the absence of the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall will be present as a privy counsellor and future Queen Consort.
Aides insisted that the decision not to attend had only been made yesterday, despite the fact that contingency arrangements have been in place for quite some time.
They also highlighted the Queen’s ‘busy diary’ this week, which includes a phone call to Australia yesterday, a planned ‘virtual’ privy council meeting, and her weekly phone conversation with the Prime Minister tomorrow.
She did, however, need to authorise ‘Letters Patent,’ which are a legal expression of the monarch’s ‘will,’ to delegate the beginning of a new session of Parliament to her Counsellors of State, Prince Charles and Prince William.
If the sovereign is incapacitated, the sovereign may issue Letters Patent assigning specific “royal functions” to Counsellors of State in order to avoid delays or difficulties in the handling of public business.
Prince Andrew and Prince Harry are still among the four most senior adult members of the British royal family, but neither are working royals, and the latter does not even live in the UK.
The circumstance will put more on on Buckingham Palace to modify the law, allowing Anne and Edward to take over in the event that Charles or William are unable to.
The two future monarchs were given the authority to act on her behalf at today’s State Opening in order for the event to take place.
In recent years, the Queen has gradually reduced the pomp and ceremony surrounding the State Opening to reflect her advanced age, such as wearing ‘day dress’ instead of heavy state robes and a hat in place of her unwieldy Imperial Crown.
It will be the first time William has joined his father as a future king, despite his expanding duties. Two Counsellors of State are required to attend, hence his attendance is required.
