The Queen opens UK Parliament in her first major event since Philip's death

CNN

By Rob Picheta and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN
Picture Courtesy: CNN
Picture Courtesy: CNN

London (CNN)-- Queen Elizabeth II carried out her first major engagement since the funeral of her husband Prince Philip on Tuesday, unveiling the UK government's legislative agenda and confirming plans to ban LGBTQ conversion therapy in a formal ceremony at the Houses of Parliament.

The Queen opened a new session of Parliament and read aloud UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's priorities, in a ceremonial event that until a few years ago she had routinely attended with Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Announcements in the Queen's Speech -- which is written by the government, usually each spring or after an election -- included the reintroduction of a controversial bill to increase police powers, legally binding environmental targets, and changes to the UK's health and social services sector.

The speech is one of the 95-year-old monarch's most important symbolic duties and forms the centerpiece of the State Opening of Parliament ceremony. Accompanied by her son and heir, Prince Charles, it took around 10 minutes for the Queen to read the speech from the throne in the House of Lords chamber.

It was her first official engagement outside of Windsor Castle since the Duke of Edinburgh died aged 99 last month.

Publish : 2021-05-11 21:35:00

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