With the Queen forced to retire on Monday due to recurring mobility problems, the 73-year-old Charles arrived at the Palace of Westminster to read the government’s legislative agenda.
Charles, who had attended the opening of parliament with his mother in recent years, began reading each bill saying, “Her Majesty’s government will…”.
Before the event took place, there was a mix of confusion among those seated in the House of Lords Chamber as to whether or not Charles would sit next to a ceremonial throne or stand in front of it. When he arrived and took his seat on the throne, there was audible surprise among those who were watching in person.
The day’s program presented to those with tickets to sit in the House of Lords had not been updated to reflect the fact that the Queen would not be in attendance, leaving some uncertainty as to exactly how the day’s events will unfold.
The state opening of parliament is an event of great pomp and pomp in which the queen traditionally travels to the assembly in a state carriage, escorted by mounted soldiers in ceremonial uniform, while the imperial state crown and other regalia travel ahead in a carriage of your own.
The monarch dons the robes of state before leading a procession to the upper chamber of the House of Lords, where she sits on a throne and formally opens a new session of parliament, reading a government-written speech outlining her plans. legislative.
The queen has missed the occasion only twice during her 70-year reign: in 1959 and 1963, when she was pregnant with her sons Andrew and Edward.
The queen, who has missed several public engagements since being hospitalized one night last October for an unspecified illness, had to issue a ‘Patent of Letters’ to authorize Charles and William to play their part in the constitutional event.
Traditionally, government and opposition leaders use the Queen’s Speech as a time to put aside their differences and chat amicably as they walk from the House of Commons to the House of Lords. However, Starmer and Johnson had their eyes fixed on the future and exchanged few, if any, words.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/KLYQF4C4GNGADNOGA5U74MZKJE.png)
