Queen plans to attend state opening of Parliament

The Queen plans to attend the state opening of Parliament when she will set out the Government’s policies and proposed legislation for the new session in her speech.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed the monarch, who has been experiencing mobility issues, is aiming to deliver her address at the national event next Tuesday, but her attendance will be confirmed on the day.

There has been speculation about whether the Queen will fulfil one of her major duties as head of state, especially after it was announced she would not be attending the garden party season and instead would be represented by members of her family.

The Queen has opened Parliament all but two times during her reign.

The exceptions were in 1959, the year she was pregnant with the Duke of York, and 1963, when she was pregnant with the Earl of Wessex.

Since 2016, the monarch has used the lift at Sovereign’s Entrance rather than the stairs when arriving and leaving the Palace of Westminster.

The ceremony was not held in 2020 and last year a reduced capacity Covid-secure state opening of Parliament was staged with the Queen present.

In recent years the Queen has predominantly travelled by car, rather than a carriage, to the Palace of Westminster and it is likely she will use the same form of transport.

If the Queen was unable to attend, the likely candidate to read the Queen’s speech would be the Prince of Wales.