Queen Elizabeth plans to attend the State Opening of Parliament next week after "tweaks" were made for her comfort.
The 96-year-old monarch has been experiencing issues with her mobility in recent months and although it was confirmed on Thursday (05.05.22) she won't be hosting her Buckingham Palace garden parties this summer, she's still intending to play her full constitutional role and read her traditional speech to open parliament on Tuesday (10.05.22).
According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, the queen will travel to the Houses of Parliament by car, use stairs instead of a lift, wear a day dress and no heavy crown, and walk as short a distance as possible.
Measures are also expected to be put in place for "tactful filming" of her entrance and exit, with part of her walk shielded from cameras.
The event will be pared back as much as possible and so the previous military elements will be altered, with no lining of the route as used to be customary when the monarch arrived by carriage.
A final decision on her attendance is set to be confirmed on Tuesday morning, but the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will also be in attendance so Charles can assist his mother on her walk to the throne and is tipped to step in to read the speech if the queen isn't well enough.
However, as it is one of her constitutional duties, it would require a Letters Patent or a Royal Commission in order for Charles to do so.
The queen has missed the occasion just twice - when pregnant with her youngest sons, Princes Andrew and Edward - in her reign, with the Lord Chancellor delivering the speech on her behalf.
