“The Queen continues to have occasional mobility problems and, after consulting with her doctors, has reluctantly decided not to attend tomorrow’s (Tuesday) opening of parliament,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
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The government’s speech, prepared by the government, will be delivered this year by Prince Charles, the heir to the throne. The opening of the parliamentary term will also be attended by the Queen’s grandson, Prince William, who is second in line.
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The queen has rarely left Windsor Castle near London since she spent the night in the hospital last fall. She suffered from covid-19 in February. The royal family recently announced that Elizabeth will not be attending traditional festivities in the gardens of Buckingham Palace this year. It is not yet clear whether she will be present at the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne. Buckingham Palace has said it plans to do so, but will not confirm its attendance.
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For the first time since 1963
The palace declined to give details of Elizabeth’s illness, but one Reuters source said it was related to the problems she had last year.
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Lawmakers will debate and eventually vote on Charles’ speech to Charles this year. But that’s just a formality. This vote was last lost in 1924 by Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, who lost a parliamentary majority in the election a month earlier.
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During her 70-year reign, the Queen missed the event only twice: in 1959 and 1963, when she was expecting the sons of Andrew and Edward.
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Parliamentary meetings in Britain normally last about 12 months. At the end of it, all pending bills expire, and the government then presents legislative plans for the next period through the Queen’s speech at the opening of the new meeting. There is a break between the two meetings, usually three weeks.
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