Prince Charles, eldest son of the Queen and heir to the throne, is stepping up his royal responsibilities as the Queen continues to withdraw from the public eye. In a move to become de facto Prince Regent, Charles will open Parliament on the Queen's behalf, nearly 60 years after she last missed it CornwallLive reports.
A statement from Buckingham Palace explained the Queen was missing the opening of Parliament due to mobility problems. The statement 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."
"At Her Majesty's request, and with the agreement of the relevant authorities, The Prince of Wales will read The Queen's Speech on Her Majesty’s behalf, with The Duke of Cambridge also in attendance."
