Order of the Garter Service Cancelled In Favour of State Opening of Parliament

Buckingham Palace today announced that the Order of the Garter service will not take place in 2017, as the June 19 date is required for the State Opening of Parliament following the June 8 snap election.

Queen Elizabeth presides over the State Opening of Parliament. However, this year, it is reported that the Opening will have “reduced ceremonial elements” – there will be no carriage procession, a limited amount of ceremonial aspects inside the Palace of Westminster, and Her Majesty will wear day dress instead of a gown, robes and the Imperial State Crown.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will not be attending as they have in recent years.

The last time the State Opening of Parliament was reduced in such a way was in 1974.

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