Prince Charles

For the first time in almost 60 years, the Queen was unable to deliver the annual speech outlining the government's legislative agenda to parliament.

Queen Elizabeth II missed the opening of Parliament for the first time in six decades, formally delegating to Prince Charles for first time.

"Yes, we are, in effect, preparing for a transition," he told The Associated Press. "The queen is in her mid-90s. There is a long walk to the House of Lords, stairs to her throne. On both of those occasions, Parliament was opened by a royal commission, with the speech delivered by the presiding member. For the first time in nearly 60 years, the queen was not there in the House of Lords, due to her ongoing problems with walking. Counselors of state are required to act in pairs, so Charles was accompanied by Prince William. "The heir is teetering on the edge of becoming a de facto prince regent.

A Queen's speech without a queen; two future kings and a queen consort in waiting; the state opening of parliament was the most public and formal ...

But any solution would have been a constitutional innovation.” “A regency requires three out of five dignitaries, the Prince of Wales, the lord chancellor, the Speaker of the Commons, the lord chief justice and the master of the rolls, to certify that the Queen is permanently – permanently – incapable of carrying out her duties. There are currently four: Charles, William, Harry and Andrew. The latter two are clearly problematic at present. This is symbolised by the fact they can never act singly,” said Bogdanor. “The criterion is objective. The Queen, meanwhile, was understood to be watching on TV from Windsor Castle.

Prince Charles steps in to read out the government's legislative agenda at the Palace of Westminster as Queen Elizabeth misses the grand set-piece event ...

In order to authorise Prince Charles and Prince William to carry out the role on her behalf, the Queen had to issue a Letters Patent. 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. - While the Queen would announce "My government will," Prince Charles said "Her Majesty's government will…"

Prince Charles steps up as health issues force Queen Elizabeth the second to miss the annual state opening of parliament in the UK for the first time in 59 ...

This marks her third absence from the state opening of parliament since she took over the throne in 1952. “Her Majesty’s government will level up opportunity in all parts of the country and support more people into work. The Sovereign’s Throne sits empty with the heir Prince Charles sitting by the Imperial State Crown on the Consort’s Throne. His wife, Camilla and son, Prince William also accompany him in the House of Lords Chamber.

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, ...

While the Queen would announce "My Government will," Prince Charles said "Her majesty's government will..." 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. The Queen, the world's oldest and longest-reigning monarch, has been absent from nearly all high-profile public events in recent months.

The state opening of parliament was the most public and formal sign yet of the crown in transition, which has been quietly going on inside Buckingham Palace ...

He read the words written for his mother with detachment and a sense of duty. Carriages were replaced with state cars and there was no Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry. No Foot Guards lined the streets. The current ceremony dates from the opening of the rebuilt Palace of Westminster in 1852 after the fire of 1834. Traditions surrounding state opening and the delivery of a speech by the monarch can be traced back as far as the 16th century. It was the most significant of his mother’s roles that he has taken on to date. Charles may be the next monarch, but he was not afforded a throne.

His stand-in role to deliver the Queen's speech is the clearest sign yet that the Elizabeth II era is drawing to a close, says royal historian Ed Owens.

Indeed, Prince Charles has enjoyed something of a return to popularity over the past five years, not least because of his image as the environmentalist king-in-waiting. Fortunately for the heir to the throne, the issue closest to his heart – the need to live in harmony with the natural world – now commands deep, consensual support among public and politicians alike. Other European royal families have embraced abdication as a positive way of passing on the responsibilities of monarchy to the next generation. In Britain the situation has been different. Indeed, his dereliction of duty exists in direct contrast with the public image the Queen has carefully crafted as the nation’s leading public servant over more than 70 years. The British monarchy has to face up to some difficult questions as to what comes next.

The Queen is reportedly 'very proud' of her son Prince Charles as he attended the State Opening of Parliament for the first time without her.

In fact, a body language expert claims he was displaying ‘undeniable signs of nerves’ as he sat on the throne. The Queen was ‘very proud’ of Prince Charles despite his ‘nerves’ as he stepped in for his mother and attended the State Opening of Parliament for the first time without her. The Queen is reportedly ‘very proud’ of her son Prince Charles as he attended the State Opening of Parliament for the first time without her.

With Queen Elizabeth absent due to mobility issues, Prince Charles, Camilla and Princess Anne stepped in at the first Buckingham Palace garden party since ...

"The problem is physical mobility — and that is not a constitutional or regency issue." (According to the royal family's website, around 27,000 cups of tea are served and 20,000 slices of cakes are consumed!) (In fact, the Queen has said the weather " can be a bit of a worry" when it comes to throwing these parties.)