According to the MailOnline, Buckingham Palace has indicated that the monarch currently ‘plans to attend’ the event on Tuesday. It’s thought measures are being implemented to reduce how far she’ll have to walk, on account of the Queen’s mobility issues.
She is expected to travel by car from Buckingham Palace to Westminster, which she finds more comfortable than a carriage – a mode of transport she hasn’t used since 2019. She will need to walk from the car to the Palace of Westminster, then from the Robing Room to the Lords Chamber, and climb the three steps up to the throne in the House of Lords.
A royal source reportedly told the Times that whether the Queen attends will be confirmed on the day. The paper also cites a Whitehall source as indicating that backup plans are being put in place nonetheless, and that her son, Prince Charles, will step in to deliver her speech if she is unable to.
Historically, it’s the lord chancellor who reads the speech if the monarch is absent. The Times adds that there had been speculation over whether Dominic Raab might carry out the duty, but these gave way to a ‘firm commitment’ for the Queen’s son to take on the role should his mother be absent. Charles has attended every State Opening alongside the Queen since Prince Philip retired from official royal life in 2017, with the Times speculating that her heir reading the speech would mark a significant shift, signalling his increasing responsibilities.
