Queen reflects on achieving her 1941 Life Saving Award

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This afternoon, Her Majesty will give her speech to the nation but, due to coronavirus restrictions, multiple traditions will not be followed. Usually, the Queen would announce the Government’s plan for the year in a packed House of Lords Chamber but today only 74 people will be allowed to watch. Just an additional 34 MPs will view the speech from Royal Gallery today. 

In a further break from tradition, the military will not be present to form a guard of honour for Queen today. 

Indeed, there will also be no horse-drawn carriage and Her Majesty will instead travel to the chamber in the state Bentley. 

Within the chamber, all those in attendance will be required to wear a mask and produce a negative test in advance of the ceremony. 

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland will also not pass the speech to the Queen for her to then read. 

In his role as Lord High Chancellor, he will instead place the speech on a table for the Queen to then pick it up. 

The exact time of the speech this afternoon is unknown but it is thought Her Majesty will announce legislation on the reform of social care and the NHS. 

Controversial Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is also to be introduced following the ‘Kill the Bill’ protests. 

It is expected that Boris Johnson has included legislation to axe the Fixed Term Parliaments Acr which restores the Prime Minister’s power to call early elections. 

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7.27am update: Queen set to deliver speech in break from tradition 

Due to coronavirus, the Queen will deliver her speech with multiple restrictions applied to the event this afternoon. 

Just 74 people will be present in the House of Lords chamber to witness the speech while 34 peers and MPs will watch from the Royal Gallery. 

All attendees will also need to wear a mask and test negative for the virus beforehand. 

There will also not be a horse-drawn carriage and instead, the Queen will travel in the state Bentley. 

The military will also not be present today and therefore will not provide a guard of honour.  

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