Queen Elizabeth II attends State Opening of Parliament

May 8th, 2013

Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, attended the State Opening of Parliament with much pomp and ceremony on May 8th. Also attending, for the first time since 1996, was The Prince of Wales who was accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, marking her first ever attendance at a State Opening of Parliament.

The State Opening of Parliament marks the start of the parliamentary year in the United Kingdom, and since 2012, has taken place in May, prior to that it was usually held in November or December.

Queen Elizabeth has attended every State Opening of Parliament of her reign, with the exceptions of 1959 and 1963 due to her pregnancies.

The highlight of the ceremony is the ‘Queen’s Speech’ which is delivered from the throne by Her Majesty and outlines the agenda of the British government for the next year.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Parliament, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales.