The Queen carried out her first major public engagement since the death of The Duke of Edinburgh, as she attended a scaled back COVID-secure State Opening of Parliament, according to the BBC.
Prince Phillip had spent decades accompanying the Queen to the annual event which marks the start of the parliamentary year.
In her first engagement outside of Windsor Castle since the death of her husband in April, the Queen was accompanied by her son, the Prince of Wales, alongside his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall.
The Queen marked the beginning of the parliamentary session by delivering the Queen’s Speech, which outlined out the priorities of the government’s legislative plans for the months ahead.
Prince Charles has been at his mother’s side for the last three openings since 2017, after the Duke of Edinburgh, the nation’s longest serving consort, stepped back from royal duties.
Typically, the State Opening of Parliament is the signature event of the parliamentary year, immersed in tradition and customs dating back hundreds of years.
However, as a result of the pandemic, the ceremony was pared down with only 108 people in attendance, rather than the 600 typically present.
Those in attendance included Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer as well as representatives from the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
Image source: BBC
