State Opening of Parliament 2017

Queen Elizabeth II was accompanied by the Prince of Wales for the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster on the morning of June 21st. This was a ‘dressed down’ version of the State Opening, devoid of pageantry and ceremony, due to the UK General Election. The next State Opening will be in 2019. Click HERE to check out last year’s State Opening.

Just minutes before the Queen’s arrival, it was announced that the Duke of Edinburgh had been admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London, as a precautionary measure, the previous evening for treatment of an infection arising from a pre-existing condition. The Duke was said to be in good spirits and disappointed to be missing the State Opening and Royal Ascot. In his place, the Prince of Wales accompanied the Queen.

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Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images

The Queen and Prince of Wales drove by car, rather than by carriage, from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster. The Imperial State Crown, usually worn, was carried by the Marquess of Cholmondeley ahead of the Queen and Prince during the procession into the Chamber of the House of Lords, where she gave the Queen’s Speech, which is written by the Government.

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The Queen wore a green floral dress with a blue coat and hat, pairing her customary Three Strand Pearl Necklace with the Cullinan V Brooch. The Prince of Wales wore Morning Dress.

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