LONDON (HRNW) – Britain s heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and Prince William took centre stage amid the pomp and pageantry of the opening of parliament on Tuesday, replacing the 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth who missed the grand set-piece event with health issues.
With the queen forced to withdraw for the first time in almost 60 years, Charles stepped in to read out the government s legislative agenda at the Palace of Westminster, the first time he has taken on such a major constitutional duty.
The queen, the world s oldest and longest-reigning monarch, has been absent from nearly all high-profile public events in recent months. She was forced to miss the speech due to a recurrence of mobility issues.
Charles, who had attended the opening of parliament alongside his mother in recent years, wore an admiral s uniform to read out the agenda from a throne. While the queen would announce “My Government will,” Prince Charles said “Her majesty s government will…”.
The State Opening of Parliament is an event of huge pomp and pageantry which traditionally sees the queen travelling to the assembly in a State Coach, escorted by mounted soldiers in ceremonial uniform, while the Imperial State Crown and other regalia travel ahead in a carriage of their own.
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