Queen Elizabeth II
First public appearance after Prince Philips death
As in the previous year, the Queen was accompanied by Prince Charles
© imago images / i Images
Queen Elizabeth II attended the first public appointment after Prince Philip’s death. She opened parliament.
Queen Elizabeth II (95) completed the first official appointment after the funeral of Prince Philip (1921-2021) outside the walls of Windsor Castle. On Tuesday, May 11th, the British monarch opened the session of the British Parliament. She was accompanied by her son, heir to the throne, Prince Charles (72), and his wife, Duchess Camilla (73).
As previously reported, the pageantry that traditionally accompanies the event was dispensed with. Instead of the full regalia, the Queen wore only a simple lilac-colored dress. Instead of a carriage, she was brought to the House of Lords by car. The crown was worn before the Queen. In the speech, which is not written by the Queen herself, but penned by the incumbent government, the 95-year-old presented planned political goals and envisaged bills. The government’s priority, however, is to initiate recovery from the pandemic.
Charles had already accompanied Elizabeth II instead of Prince Philip in previous years – for example when the Queen did not wear the imposing “Imperial State Crown” for the first time at the opening of parliament in October 2019.
The Queen had her first public appointment via video call shortly after Philip’s funeral. At the end of April she received several guests – including the ambassadors of Latvia and the Ivory Coast – in Buckingham Palace, while she was connected from Windsor Castle.