Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Queen to miss state opening of parliament, says Buckingham Palace

Queen to miss state opening of parliament, says Buckingham Palace

Monarch, who is experiencing mobility issues, will not read Queen’s speech for only third time in her reign
The Queen is to miss the state opening of parliament for only the third time in her reign.

The 96-year-old monarch, who is experiencing mobility issues, will not read the Queen’s speech on Tuesday, Buckingham Palace said. The Prince of Wales will read it on her behalf.

As Charles takes on the head of state’s major constitutional duty for the first time, the move – believed to be unprecedented in modern history – will be interpreted as a significant shift in his responsibilities as a king in waiting.

The Queen’s speech will be read by the prince after a new letters patent, authorised by the Queen, was issued that delegated the royal function of opening a new session of parliament to the counsellors of state.

The Duke of Cambridge will also attend the state opening, as a counsellor of state.

As opening parliament is a core constitutional responsibility of the monarch, the letters patent had to be issued to delegate that responsibility to two counsellors of state. There are currently four counsellors of state: Charles, William, Andrew and Harry.

No other functions have been delegated by the Queen. The Duchess of Cornwall will also attend, although she is not a counsellor of state.

The new arrangement will leave the main throne empty during the ceremony, as Charles and Camilla take their usual seats, with William on the opposite side to Camilla. The imperial state crown will still travel to parliament.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen continues to experience episodic mobility problems, and in consultation with her doctors has reluctantly decided that she will not attend the state opening of parliament tomorrow.”

A No 10 spokesperson said: “The prime minister fully respects the wishes of Her Majesty and is grateful to the Prince of Wales for agreeing to deliver the speech on her behalf.”

The letters patent was issued to cover the state opening. In this instance, it enables Charles and William to jointly exercise that function. No other functions have been delegated by the Queen. The decision was taken on Monday.

The mobility problems are said to be a continuation of those the Queen has experienced since the autumn.

In order to prevent delay or difficulty in the dispatch of public business, the sovereign may issue a letter patent delegating specified “royal functions” to counsellors of state, as provided for in section 6 of the Regency Act 1937.

Last week it was announced the Queen would not be attending this year’s royal garden parties.

The Queen is understood to have a busy diary at Windsor this week with a call with Australia on Monday, and a planned virtual privy council and phone audience with the prime minister on Wednesday. She is expected to undertake some private engagements later in the week.

The Queen has opened every session of parliament since her accession in 1952, except in 1959 and 1963 when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward respectively.

On those two occasions, the sessions were opened by the lords commissioners, while the lord chancellor read the Queen’s speech.

Last week it was announced that the Queen would not attend any of this summer’s garden parties at Buckingham Palace and at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Constitutional expert Dr Bob Morris, of UCL’s constitution unit, told the PA news agency that the arrangements, with both Charles and William attending and the prince reading the speech, were unprecedented.

“They’ve gone down the counsellor of state route – that’s one way round it. The Prince of Wales is giving the speech and William is there as his stay and support, as it were,” he said. “It’s a rather odd confection, but it works.”

He added: “It is unprecedented and it’s the way in which the constitution flexes to accommodate unusual circumstances. I can’t think of any possible earlier version of this.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×