State Opening of Parliament 1: 2002-2022


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Alison H said:
That's strange. I doubt that Camilla would go even if it was the full affair with robes and regalia and all 650 MPs in attendance. Other than the Queen and her consort - and Prince Charles is effectively standing in as her consort - other royals don't usually attend.
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Camilla took part in a full ceremonial State opening of Parliament in 2019 and Diana did as well when she was married to Charles.
 
JR76 said:
Camilla took part in a full ceremonial State opening of Parliament in 2019 and Diana did as well when she was married to Charles.
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But then the attendance of members of both Houses were not limited and in the 80's when Diana attended also other members of the RF like Margaret, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester usually also attended.
 
Stefan said:
But then the attendance of members of both Houses were not limited and in the 80's when Diana attended also other members of the RF like Margaret, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester usually also attended.
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Back then, the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Gloucester were still members of the House of Lords.
 
Stefan said:
But then the attendance of members of both Houses were not limited and in the 80's when Diana attended also other members of the RF like Margaret, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester usually also attended.
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Yes, I know, but I mentioned Diana only to show that the wife of the Prince of Wales being present at the State opening of Parliament is neither something new nor unusual.

A bit off topic, but those old video clips from the 70s and 80s with the royal dukes, duchesses, princes, princesses and the peeresses in full gala is some of my favourite things to watch. Today, even though the ceremony itself is still there and wasn't abolished like in Sweden, so much is different and only the Queen herself is unchanged.
 
Some more information about the State Opening of Parliament released by Parly (Journalism project on the House of Commons and the Westminster village). Only the House of Commons Speaker, Party leaders and government and opposition whip will proceed to the House of Lords to hear the Queen's speech read out live. Marcus Jones, Vice Chamberlain to Her Majesty’s Household, Government Whip (Conservative MP for Nuneaton, Arley and Hartshill) will be "ceremonially held hostage in Buckingham Palace, while the Sovereign attends the Palace, to ensure her safe return. He would not be locked up, but with tea and biscuit. All those attending will need to have a negative COVID-19 test and follow social distance & face mask rules.
PARLY @PARLYapp
At tomorrow’s state opening, due to covid-19 restrictions only the Speaker and invited party leaders and Government and Opposition whips will process to hear the Queen’s Speech delivered in the Lords.
9:32 PM · May 10, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

PARLY @PARLYapp
Replying to @PARLYapp
.@Marcus4Nuneaton will be ceremonially held hostage in Buckingham Palace while the Sovereign attends the Palace, to ensure her safe return. It’s more tea and biscuits than being locked up.
9:33 PM · May 10, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

PARLY @PARLYapp
Replying to @PARLYapp
“All those attending will have produced a negative COVID test. There will also be measures in place such as social distancing, wearing of masks and good hand hygiene to reduce risks.”
Presumably this includes Her Majesty the Queen.
9:34 PM · May 10, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

PARLY @PARLYapp
Replying to @PARLYapp
The Commons will meet at 2:30pm. This may be the point at which new MP
@Jill4Hartlepool takes the oath. Tomorrow will be the first of six days of debate on the Queen’s Speech.
9:36 PM · May 10, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

PARLY @PARLYapp
Replying to @PARLYapp
The Speaker will announce at the start of the debate which subjects are to be debated on each subsequent day.
9:37 PM · May 10, 2021·Twitter for iPhone​

https://twitter.com/x/status/1391717798896939011
 
Mbruno said:
Back then, the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Gloucester were still members of the House of Lords.
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But Margaret was the former wife of a member of the House of Lords and usually was also present.
 
There used to be times when adult members of the RF attended the State Opening of Parliament in full force. I'm not sure when they exactly stopped that and scaled down, but for some years only the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended. But from 2013 on Charles and Camilla started to also attend on a regular basis. Or at least 2013 is the year that I have the first tiara picture of Camilla at the SO in my archive. I don't remember whether they attend the recent scaled down State Openings though.
 
The Queen is being driven to the Palace of Westminster in a Range Rover. I wonder why the usual limousine was not used.
 
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Tilia C. said:
I don't remember whether they attend the recent scaled down State Openings though.
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Charles did but Camilla didn't. In 2017 he was a last-minute addition as the Duke of Edinburgh was ill.
 
There is only one Throne this year and the Queen will seat alone there. Charles and Camilla will seat beside
 
Its the 1st major public engagement for the queen since the death the Duke of Edinburgh,though he hadn't attended in a few years must a poignant day for H.M.
 
Just wondering would it be the begining of a new protocol, no tiara and gown or military uniform in future. Maybe it's only because of the pandemic and the Queen's age this time, but sometimes an exception reshapes the tradition.
 
W.Y.CII said:
Just wondering would it be the begining of a new protocol, no tiara and gown or military uniform in future. Maybe it's only because of the pandemic and the Queen's age this time, but sometimes an exception reshapes the tradition.
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This is the second or third time it has been like this. This was what they did in 2019 for the second State Opening that year - after the election.

The last full State Opening was the early one in 2019 when May was still PM.

We won't see a full regalia event, I suspect, during the rest of the Queen's reign and if that is another 4 - 5 years then I agree it will become the norm and so no more tiaras etc at this event but if the Queen were to pass within the next year or so then maybe Charles would return to the full regalia but a lot would depend on both his, and Camilla's health.

I did really feel, for the first time, that Charles really was an 'old man'. I know his age etc but he has always looked so fit and spry but today I felt he really looked his age, if not older. Camilla and The Queen both looked fitter and more sprightly than he did. I know he is still in mourning and probably will be for some time but he looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders and it was weighing him down.
 
I think Charles have been hit more than expected by his fathers death - probably even more than he himself expected. He literally seems to burst out in tears every time I see him.
HM looks better than expected after her husbands death, but also frail (but this could be because we havent seen her so often in the last year and it's easier to tell differences in peoples appearances when you dont see them so often.)
 
Tirilschatz said:
I think Charles have been hit more than expected by his fathers death - probably even more than he himself expected. He literally seems to burst out in tears every time I see him.
HM looks better than expected after her husbands death, but also frail (but this could be because we havent seen her so often in the last year and it's easier to tell differences in peoples appearances when you dont see them so often.)
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When has Charles "burst out in tears" in public? I think he is grieved by his father's death, which has now left him as head of the family and also by the other problems that have emerged in the past few months. Its a lot on his shoulders.. and given his at times strained relationship with his father he may well be very upset now that Philip has gone.
 
Denville said:
When has Charles "burst out in tears" in public? I think he is grieved by his father's death, which has now left him as head of the family and also by the other problems that have emerged in the past few months. Its a lot on his shoulders.. and given his at times strained relationship with his father he may well be very upset now that Philip has gone.
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I may have expressed it wrong, I wanted to say that he seems as if he could burst out in tears every moment. Very watery eyes every time I saw him recently.

BTW, I am just watching a video of the speech and am wondering what caused the laughter shortly after the lords took their places? HM seemed to be wondering about something but I couldn't get it?
 
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Tirilschatz said:
I think Charles have been hit more than expected by his fathers death - probably even more than he himself expected. He literally seems to burst out in tears every time I see him.
HM looks better than expected after her husbands death, but also frail (but this could be because we havent seen her so often in the last year and it's easier to tell differences in peoples appearances when you dont see them so often.)
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I was going to say something similar.....it’s so sad to see him with tears in his eyes, so obviously grief-stricken. I’m glad he’s there to support his mama..I have to agree with the folks on Twitter - HM looks like she’s lost weight. Poor thing

I admit, obviously I didn’t see anything beyond this photo and the above video of Charles ...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1392065231896129538
 
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Tirilschatz said:
I may have expressed it wrong, I wanted to say that he seems as if he could burst out in tears every moment. Very watery eyes every time I saw him recently.

BTW, I am just watching a video of the speech and am wondering what caused the laughter shortly after the lords took their places? HM seemed to be wondering about something but I couldn't get it?
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You didn’t express it wrong, you expressed yourself very well.
 
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Tirilschatz said:
I think Charles have been hit more than expected by his fathers death - probably even more than he himself expected. He literally seems to burst out in tears every time I see him.
HM looks better than expected after her husbands death, but also frail (but this could be because we havent seen her so often in the last year and it's easier to tell differences in peoples appearances when you dont see them so often.)
Click to expand...

That is a good point, before the funeral we had not seen much of HM other than the zoom calls and you cannot always tell that much from them,.
I think she does look frail.
 
Betsypaige said:
You didn’t express it wrong, you expressed yourself very well.
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Thank you :) Not being a native english speaker sometimes makes it hard to put every word in the right place, especially when I know what I want to say and when the fingers go faster than the brains :D
 
I thought the Queen looked very well today although it was sad to see her sitting alone. I don't think that was because of COVID, she and and a masked Charles had walked side by side while touching hands. I suspect she choose to sit alone to help her adjust to life without Prince Philip.

I agree that she seems to have lost a bit of weight, which is concerning. However, I remember that picture of her with Charles before Easter when she was walking on uneven ground without a cane or a walker. Pretty remarkable for 95.
 
US Royal Watcher said:
I thought the Queen looked very well today although it was sad to see her sitting alone. I don't think that was because of COVID, she and and a masked Charles had walked side by side while touching hands. I suspect she choose to sit alone to help her adjust to life without Prince Philip.

I agree that she seems to have lost a bit of weight, which is concerning. However, I remember that picture of her with Charles before Easter when she was walking on uneven ground without a cane or a walker. Pretty remarkable for 95.
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The consorts throne was removed because The Queen no longer has a consort. When Charles sat in in the past he was really 'representing the consort' but now there isn't a consort there is no need for a consort's throne.

We won't see a consort's throne now until Charles is King. It is a protocol thing.
 
HM wore the same dress she wore when she and Philip took that gorgeous photo outside Windsor Castle for his 99th birthday ??????
 
Tirilschatz said:
Thank you :) Not being a native english speaker sometimes makes it hard to put every word in the right place, especially when I know what I want to say and when the fingers go faster than the brains :D
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Hah, I’m a native English speaker and that happens to me all the time ????
 
Betsypaige said:
HM wore the same dress she wore when she and Philip took that gorgeous photo outside Windsor Castle for his 99th birthday ??????
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Thanks for that observation! That must have been a very deliberate choice by Her Majesty the Queen.
 
Betsypaige said:
HM wore the same dress she wore when she and Philip took that gorgeous photo outside Windsor Castle for his 99th birthday ??????
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Oh that pulls at my heart. I know the choice was deliberate on HM's part. A way to include Philip when he's not there.??
 
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