Queen Elizabeth II Opens Parliament With Prince Charles In 1st Royal Appearance Since Losing Philip

Queen Elizabeth II left Buckingham Palace along with her eldest son, Prince Charles, to deliver remarks at the House of Lords for the State Opening, as Parliament's work begins.

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May 11, 2021 11:22AM EDT
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Mandatory Credit: Reginald Davis Mandatory Credit: Photo by Reginald Davis/REX/Shutterstock (918888ck) In the Mantle and Robes of the Order of St. Michael and St.George, Queen Elizabeth II leaves St. Paul's Cathedral after the service Queen Elizabeth II retrospective
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attends an Armed Forces Act of Loyalty Parade in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, UK, 28 June 2022. The armed forces, represented by the Service Cadets, Band of the Royal Marines Scotland and the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, conducted a parade and presented The Queen with the key for Edinburgh Castle. The event was an opportunity for the armed forces to mark Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee in Scotland. Armed Forces Act of Loyalty Parade, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK - 28 Jun 2022 Her Majesty The Queen will attend an Armed Forces Act of Loyalty Parade in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The event will be an opportunity for the Armed Forces to mark Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee in Scotland, and pay tribute to The Queen's role as Head of the UK Armed Forces. Her Majesty's Armed Forces will conduct a Parade and Presentation of the Key for Edinburgh Castle in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. All three services will be represented on parade, with each of the single service Senior Representatives in Scotland present, together with Service Cadets. Musical support will be provided by the Band of the Royal Marines Scotland and the Pipes and Drums of The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Queen Elizabeth II Trooping The Colour - The Queen's Birthday Parade, London, UK - 02 Jun 2022 The Queen, attends celebration marking her official birthday, during which she inspects troops from the Household Division as they march in Whitehall, before watching a fly-past from the balcony at Buckingham Palace. This year's event also marks The Queen's Platinum Jubilee and kicks off an extended bank holiday to celebrate the milestone.
Image Credit: Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Shutterstock

Queen Elizabeth II was not alone when she offered remarks and opened Parliament. The longest reigning monarch in British history, 95, was joined by her eldest son, Prince Charles, 72, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 73, on May 11 for the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords. The occasion marked Queen Elizabeth’s first official engagement since the loss of her beloved husband of more than 70 years, Prince Philip, in April.

Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Charles, as they depart the House of Lord’s Chamber during the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on May 11, 2021 in London, England [Shutterstock].
The monarch sat alone, wearing a lavender ensemble with dashes of yellow, including hat. Along with the queen was The Imperial State Crown, signifying her position as the Head of State. Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla notably wore masks during their appearance with the sovereign. The couple sat just a few yards to Queen Elizabeth’s left, demonstrating their respective roles as senior members of the Royal Family, who have been stepping up to be by her side since the Duke of Edinburgh’s death at the age of 99 on April 9.

Queen Elizabeth II at the House of Lord’s Chamber during the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on May 11, 2021 in London, England  [Shutterstock].
During her remarks, which you can watch below, Queen Elizabeth stated that her “government’s priority is to deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the United Kingdom healthier, stronger, and more prosperous than before.” The monarch continued to highlight how the government would continue their recovery work for the nation. The occasion was a quiet one, but it’s not the first of Queen Elizabeth’s duties that she has returned to since her husband’s passing.

On April 27, just 10 days following Prince Philip’s funeral, Queen Elizabeth held her first audience since her period of mourning. The monarch appeared to be in good spirits, smiling brightly while meeting with Her Excellency Mrs. Ivita Burmistre, Ambassador from the Republic of Latvia and Her Excellency Mrs. Sara Affoue Amani, Ambassador from the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. The audience was held virtually, meaning that the queen did not attend in-person, but instead made her appearance via video call.

Although the past month has surely been emotional for the Royal Family, they have remained resolute in standing by the queen’s side. Immediate members of the Royal Family attended Prince Philip’s funeral on April 17, including Prince Harry, who later returned to California to reunite with his wife Meghan Markle, who is expecting the couple’s second child, a girl, sometime this summer. It’s clear that the queen is receiving as much support as possible from her family members, and fans of the Royal Family look forward to seeing them come together in the time to come.