Prince Charles leads the opening of Parliament in London for the first time

The beginning of a new era: The heir to the British throne, Prince Charles (73), read out the government’s announcement in Parliament in London for the first time today.

The Queen’s Speech usually heralds a new session of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The celebration is celebrated with great pomp and is one of the most important constitutional duties of the British monarchy.

The Queen previously had to cancel at short notice due to mobility issues. It is the first time in 59 years that Elizabeth II, 96, has not been able to attend the “official opening of Parliament”. It is expected that the now frail queen will continue to leave the task to her son in the future. In the British media there was already talk of the beginning of the de facto rule of the Prince under Charles.

The crown of the state is placed on a small table

Dressed as an admiral, the Prince of Wales was accompanied by his wife, Duchess Camilla (74) and his eldest son, Prince William (39). Next to Charles, who was seated on the magnificent throne, the twinkling State Crown – called the Imperial State Crown – was placed on a small table.

For the “official opening of Parliament”, members of both houses of Parliament – the House and the Lords – meet in the House of Lords. Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labor leader Keir Starmer watched the speech in silence from the back of the House of Lords.

The British royal family remains neutral on political issues. It is only a symbolic act for the king to read the government’s proclamation as head of state. Among other things, the laws were planned to mitigate the consequences of the rising cost of living, to deal with the climate crisis and to remove Great Britain from the orbit of the European Union.