Queen Elizabeth was unable to attend the annual State Opening of Parliament due to mobility issues, so the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, filled in for his mother. Charles’ wife Camilla Parker Bowles and son Prince William accompanied him, but William’s wife Kate Middleton was nowhere to be found. The Duchess of Cambridge was instead attending a somber event miles away.
Why Prince Charles, William Filled In For Queen
Just a day before she was due to open Parliament, Queen Elizabeth released a statement via Buckingham Palace that read, “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.”
“At Her Majesty’s request, and with the agreement of the relevant authorities,” the statement continued,” The Prince of Wales will read The Queen’s Speech on Her Majesty’s behalf, with The Duke of Cambridge also in attendance.” In other words, she authorized her two heirs Princes Charles and William to jointly exercise the function, with Charles reading the speech the queen would have made if she were able to attend.
Where Was Kate Middleton?
This was the first time the Duke of Cambridge attended the event, but surprisingly he wasn’t accompanied by his wife as his father was. Kate Middleton was unable to attend the state event because she had another, much more somber, opening.
As the State Opening of Parliament took place, Middleton was a few miles away in Manchester, where five years earlier a bomb was set off at an Ariana Grande concert. The terrorist attack claimed the lives of 22 innocent people and injured over 1,000 more, most of whom were children. The perpetrator of the attack also died. Middleton traveled there to attend the opening of the Manchester Arena bombing memorial. Middleton met with grieving families during a private event and was later joined by Prince William.
A Beautiful Memorial For A Dark Day
The memorial is called The Glade Of Light Memorial. It opened to the public back in January of this year but was officially opened just this week. Middleton and William took a moment to lay flowers at the memorial and reflect on the victims of the attack. The duchess could be seen wiping away what appeared to be a tear. William also looked deeply affected by the beautiful garden memorial and the many young lives that it aimed to honor.
The Manchester bombing was a heartbreaking event, so it’s unsurprising to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge get emotional in the face of so many lost lives, especially with so many of the victims being minors who simply wanted to enjoy a concert. We extend our deepest sympathies to all the families involved in this tragedy.