Politics
Queen’s Speech 2021: Her Majesty to open Parliament with first official ceremony since Prince Philip’s funeral
HER Majesty has set off to Parliament today at her first official ceremony since Prince Philip’s funeral.
The monarch, 95, has been continuing with her work as sovereign while she mourns the loss of her beloved husband of 73 years.
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The Queen has left Windsor for State Opening of Parliament today[/caption]
The Queen is not wearing full ceremonial robes or a crown today – as she did in 2015[/caption]
Today, the Queen marks the beginning of the parliamentary session by delivering the Queen’s Speech – which sets out the Government’s legislative plans.
Her Majesty is not going to be wearing her ceremonial robes or crown for today’s State Opening of Parliament – which will be a “Covid appropriate” event.
She will instead be wearing her day dress and hat – and is travelling by car from Buckingham Palace, rather than by coach.
The Queen will be accompanied by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall ahead of her speech today.
This is the first official appearance in public as the head of state since her beloved husband the Duke of Edinburgh died.
It is also the first of the Queen’s engagements outside of Windsor Castle since Prince Philip passed away on April 9.
Today will also mark the second time she has been at Buckingham Palace since retreating to Windsor during the first lockdown last year.
Prince Philip retired from public duties in 2016 – but he spent decades accompanying the monarch to the grand occasion, sitting on an ornate golden throne at his wife’s side.
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And Prince Charles has also accompanied the Queen to the state opening before in December 2019, October 2019 and June 2017 – and will do so again today.
But this time it is planned for the Prince of Wales to play “a more significant and active role” as the Queen’s “consort” in the ceremony.
The State Opening of Parliament is usually the most colourful event of the parliamentary year and is steeped in tradition and customs dating back centuries.
But because of the pandemic, the pomp and ceremony has been reduced in 2021 to prevent any spread of coronavirus.
MPs and members of the House of Lords will have to wear masks throughout unless they are exempt.
All of those present will have to take a Covid test beforehand and only be allowed to attend if they have a negative result.
Discussions took place with the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England to ensure the event was Covid-secure, with limited attendance, social distancing, masks, good hand hygiene and Covid testing incorporated into the proceedings.
One amendment is that the Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland will not hand the speech directly to the Queen as is usually the custom, but place it on a table instead.
Queen Elizabeth in her ceremonial robes on May 18, 2016[/caption]
The Queen normally travels by coach, as she did in 2019, however this year she will travel by car[/caption]
The Duke of Edinburgh passed away “peacefully” of old age in April – signalling weeks of mourning across the country and within the Royal Family.
The royal passed away two months and one day short of what would have been his 100th birthday.
Radio stations immediately interrupted broadcasts with the news of his death and played the national anthem shortly after in a sign of respect.
The Royal Family gathered for a poignant final farewell to Philip on April 17 at a socially-distanced funeral service in St George’s Chapel, with the Queen pictured sat alone as she grieved for her consort.
The monarch – who is the nation’s longest-reigning monarch – was back at work just four days after Philip’s death.
She held her first in-person event on April 13 – an audience and investiture with Earl Peel, who was relinquishing his role as Lord Chamberlain.
A day later she welcomed her new Lord Chamberlain, Baron Parker, who was overseeing Philip’s funeral, at another Windsor ceremony.
And her first official public engagement since Philip’s death was on April 27 as she held a virtual audience at Windsor.
The Queen, no longer in a black mourning outfit, was dressed in a pale blue floral dress which featured large purple, white and yellow flowers, with a three-string pearl necklace and a diamond brooch as accessories.
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She was pictured on a computer screen smiling as she held two audiences with the ambassador from the Republic of Latvia, and the ambassador from the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, who were at Buckingham Palace.
Just yesterday, the Queen joked about her age in a video call released today as she spoke publicly for the first time since Philip’s death.
She described feeling “very proud” at becoming the first young person to receive a lifesaving swimming badge from the Royal Life Saving Society – but quipped “that’s terrible” when learning it was 80 years ago.
Security on Westminster rooftops ahead of State Opening of Parliament[/caption]
Prime Minster Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street for the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster[/caption]
People in Central Lobby before the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster[/caption]
MPs and members of the House of Lords will have to wear masks throughout unless they are exempt[/caption]
The State Opening of Parliament is usually the most colourful event of the parliamentary year[/caption]
