Queen Elizabeth Will Miss This Year's Opening of Parliament for the Third Time Ever in Her 70-Year Reign

Just a few weeks prior to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that Queen Elizabeth will miss Tuesday's State Opening of Parliament due to "mobility problems."

Tuesday's absence will mark one of only three times Her Royal Majesty has skipped the yearly appearance — both of which were due to pregnancy in 1959 and 1963 — since beginning her 70-year reign in 1952. "The Queen continues to experience episodic mobility problems, and in consultation with her doctors has reluctantly decided that she will not attend the State Opening of Parliament tomorrow," Buckingham Palace shared in a statement.

In Queen Elizabeth's absence, her son, Prince Charles, and grandson, Prince William, will both take on the royal duties of the opening ceremony, with the Duchess of Cornwall also set to attend.

"At Her Majesty's request, and with the agreement of the relevant authorities, The Prince of Wales will read The Queen's speech on Her Majesty's behalf, with The Duke of Cambridge also in attendance," the statement added.

This isn't the first time the Queen, who celebrated her 96th birthday just a few weeks ago, has suffered from mobility issues. When asked how she was doing while conducting in-person meetings at Windsor Castle back in February, the Queen replied by saying, "Well, as you can see, I can't move." While a palace source clarified that the immobility was due to stiffness rather than injury or illness, Queen Elizabeth ended up testing positive for COVID-19 later that week.