Queen pulls out of State Opening of Parliament

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The 96-year-old monarch made the difficult decision this afternoon not to attend due to her recent mobility issues. Buckingham Palace said Prince Charles will stand in for her at Parliament and read the Queen’s Speech on her behalf, following a conversation between with and her aides. Prince William will also be in attendance. The Queen’s absence will also raise fears she may not be able to attend her Platinum Jubilee celebrations next month.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “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.”

This will be the first time in 59 years the Queen has failed to attend the annual State Opening of Parliament.

The Queen had only missed the opening of Parliament twice during her time on the throne – in 1959 and 1963 when she was pregnant.

During the highly-anticipated ceremony, the monarch reads out the UK Government’s plans for upcoming legislation.

There had been plans to drive her 26 miles from her Windsor Castle home to Westminster tomorrow (Tuesday), and use a lift to get into Parliament for the televised event.

But her recent mobility issues have now seen this scrapped.

Buckingham Palace had planned to wait until Tuesday morning to make the decision, but have now confirmed she will not be attending.

This becomes the latest in a series of events she has been forced to miss in recent months.

Last October, she was prevented from attending the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph.

In February, she tested positive for Covid, with Buckingham Palace saying she was experiencing mild cold-like symptoms.

But within weeks of her diagnosis, she began attending virtual engagements again.

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