Pomp and ceremony will be observed in Westminster during the State Opening of Parliament and the all-important Queen's Speech on Tuesday May 10, but the Queen herself won't be present.
Recent reports indicated the Queen was set to attend the opening, but Prince Charles will go in her place after the Palace declared Her Majesty had made the "reluctant" decision to drop out. It also means Prince William will be in attendance for his first State Opening appearance.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson 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."
