Queen won’t attend Parliament opening due to mobility issues

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II attends a Service of Thanksgiving for her late husband, Britain’s Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey in central London on March 29, 2022.

Richard Pohle | AFP | Getty Images

Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the opening of Parliament on Tuesday amid ongoing mobility issues.

The palace said in a statement Monday that the decision was made in consultation with her doctors and that the 96-year-old monarch had “reluctantly” decided not to attend.

Prince Charles will read her speech, which sets out the government’s agenda for the coming parliamentary session. Prince William will also attend.

Elizabeth has attended only a handful of public events in recent months, though she continues to hold virtual audiences regularly.

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