Royal Family News: Queen Could Miss May Opening Of British Parliament, Third Time In 70 Years

British royal family news reveals that the queen is a fixture at the annual opening of the British parliament in May. As the country’s figurehead and leader of the Commonwealth her presence is a sure sign that the nation is in good hands, with steady leadership and decades of experience behind her.

But this year she may miss the ceremony due to her health. In her place would be her oldest son and heir, Prince Charles. This year the Duke of Wales may be the one to read the speech traditionally read by the reigning monarch.

Royal Family News – Will The Queen Miss Another Engagement?

In total, 95-year old Queen Elizabeth has missed just two parliamentary openings since she became the monarch in 1952. According to the Sunday Times of London, the decision regarding her attendance will be made on the day itself, May 10.

An unidentified source told the outlet: “The date is in Her Majesty’s diary, and she hopes to attend. The Queen remains fit and active, and it is amazing how much she still does. But her diary is being paced to reflect the realities of a woman of her age, and to ensure that she is able to continue to do as much as she can and would like to do.”

They added that “All events will now be scheduled so that if Her Majesty is unable to attend at short notice, another member of the royal family will still be present.”

Royal Family News – Prince Charles Will Be The Next Monarch

Prince Charles is the next in line to the throne. He and other senior royals have been taking on larger roles in recent months as the queen’s health is questionable. She has hospitalized late last year for an undisclosed ailment and since then her health has been the reason for numerous official event cancellations.

She is 95 and last April she lost her 99-year old husband Prince Philip. They were married for 73 years and later this month there will be a memorial service in his honor. Her presence at the memorial has also been called into question due to her health issues, of which her mobility is increasingly restricted. She also taxed her physical reserves with a positive COVID diagnosis in February.

Royal Family News – The Queen Is 95-Years Old

The last time the queen missed the speech was in 1963, just before the birth of Prince Edward. She also missed in 1959 when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew.

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