LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Queen Elizabeth II delivers the Queen's Speech in the House of Lord's Chamber with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall seated (R) during the Stat
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Queen Elizabeth II delivers the Queen's Speech in the House of Lord's Chamber with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall seated (R) during the Stat
Queen Elizabeth has made her first in-person public appearance since Prince Philip's funeral.
In a ceremony known as the annual Queen's Speech, the monarch read out 30 bills summing up the UK Government's legislative priorities to officially start a new parliamentary session, reports AP.
The event, pared down for pandemictimes, was the Queen's first major public appearance since the funeral of her husband, Prince Philip, last month. A single throne was placed beneath the gold canopy for the monarch. In times past, there were a pair of thrones — one for the queen and another for her consort.
"My government's priority is to deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the United Kingdom stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before," the Queen said in the House of Lords.
The Queen, who did not wear a mask, was escorted into the chamber by her son, Prince Charles. She delivered the speech slowly and deliberately before a socially distanced audience, all of whom needed to have a negative Covid test to attend.
The Queen did not wear her crown. Instead, it was carried into the chamber ahead of her on a cushion.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Cabinet put together the list of proposals after a year of lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions triggered the UK's deepest economic slump in three centuries. The Government is also facing renewed calls for Scottish independence and unrest in Northern Ireland fuelled by Britain's departure from the European Union.
Johnson will pursue the agenda from a position of strength, with his Conservative Party holding 365 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons. That electoral power was underscored last week, when the Conservatives dominated local elections in England.
Ahead of the speech, Johnson announced plans to give all adults access to four years of university or job training throughout their lifetimes as part of an effort to ensure workers have the skills employers need in a changing economy. The Government also plans to revamp planning laws to speed up construction of new homes.
"These new laws are the rocket fuel that we need to level up this country and ensure equal opportunities for all," Johnson said before the speech. "We know that having the right skills and training is the route to better, well-paid jobs."
