The Queen is set to miss the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday, Buckingham Palace has announced. Prince Charles will deliver the speech instead for the first time.
It comes after much speculation over whether the Queen would fulfil one of her major duties as head of state. Up until today, Buckingham Palace had said the Queen was expecting to deliver the speech, with confirmation of her attendance due on Tuesday morning. However, the Palace confirmed at around 6pm this evening that the monarch would not be attending the event.
The 96-year-old has been struggling with her mobility in recent weeks, and also caught coronavirus earlier in the year. The Queen has cancelled a number of high-profile engagements in recent months, often opting for virtual appearances rather than in-person meetings.
