Queen Elizabethis making her first official engagement outside of Windsor Castle since the death of her beloved husband of 73 years,Prince Philip, to take part in one of her most important constitutional duties.
Can’t get enough ofPEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates onKate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
But her Imperial State Crown, the symbol of her position as monarch, will be brought to the chamber separately and placed next to her on a table, as has been the case in recent years (it weighs a whopping 2.3 lbs!).
The imperial State Crown.TOBY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty
And with COVID-19 in mind, there will also be fewer lawmakers and staffers in the Palace of Westminster to hear the Queen’s Speech.
Get the premiere issue of PEOPLERoyalsfor glamorous new photos and inside stories royals fans haven’t seen or read elsewhere! Subscribe atpeopleroyals.com/launch
Charles, 72, and Camilla, 73, have accompanied the Queen to the formal ceremony before, but Tuesday’s event will take on a new significance as it will clearly underline how the senior royals are stepping in to be alongside her at key moments in the wake of the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles.Aaron Chown/AFP/Getty
With the official period of mourning forPrince Philip, who died on April 9, over, the Queen has been returning to her royal duties. Last week, she carried out audiences and meetings via phone with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and took part in a video call recalling her pride as a 14-year-old at winning aspecial award in water safety training.
source: people.com
