Losing your partner of 79 years is an unquantifiable blow but when you're head of state, you have to get back to business pretty sharpish. The Queen has stepped out in her first public outing since Philip's death — setting out the British government's priorities at their State Opening of Parliament.
Usually, the UK State Opening of Parliament is a hugely intricate affair, its pomp and pageantry renowned, but there were a few changes in place this year in light of the royal's passing and the current climate.
The ceremony was a considerably scaled back event, in light of current COVID restrictions and in Philip's stead, she was accompanied by Prince Charles.
The Queen sat alone for the ceremony, with the consort's throne being removed from proceedings for the first time in 120 years, and Charles sat with wife Camilla to the Queen's left.
Previously, when Charles accompanied his mother to the ceremony, he sat on the consort's thrown but in light of Prince Philip's passing, the throne, which was first installed in 1901 for Queen Alexandra, was removed and is in the care of the Lord Great Chamberlain for safekeeping.
The Queen broke from tradition for the occasion; according to the Daily Mail, she chose not to wear the two-pound Imperial State crown nor the usual ceremonial robes and decided on a more sedate look as she sported a lilac day dress with gold embroidery on the collar and shoulders which matched the flowers that adorned her hat.
The monarch's Imperial State Crown was, as it has been in more recent years, brought separately to the event and was placed in the House of Lords on a table shortly before her keynote speech.
In another break from tradition, the monarch was driven from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster in her regular vehicle as opposed to travelling in a horse-drawn carriage.
In light of her recent loss, the struggles faced across the globe and the ongoing political turmoil in the UK — all eyes were particularly on HRH during this appearance.
The BBC reports that she took the opportunity to declare the UK government would, 'deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the United Kingdom stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before.'
The regent also made pledges on 'education, women's rights, freeports, internet safety, the environment and modernising planning laws.'
