Queen delegates opening of Parliament for 1st time

She has reigned since 1952.HAS THE QUEEN EVER MISSED THE SPEECH BEFORE?Yes. In 1959, when she was in the late stages of pregnancy with Prince Andrew, and again in 1963 before the birth of Prince Edward.On both of those occasions, Parliament was opened by a royal commission, with the speech delivered by the presiding member.SO WHAT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME?This year the queen has formally asked Prince Charles to deliver the speech under rules that allow her to delegate some of her duties to senior members of the royal family who are considered “counselors of state.” Counselors of state are required to act in pairs, so Charles will be accompanied by his eldest son, Prince William.Because the duties have been delegated to Charles, there will be less disruption of the ceremonial aspects of the day.The public should be able to take comfort in the continuity of the monarchy, said Robert Hazell, a professor of government and the constitution at University College London.“Yes, we are, in effect, preparing for a transition,″ he told The Associated Press.