The Queen may have to delay her Christmas plans slightly, due to the upcoming general election. The 93-year-old monarch usually catches the train to Sandringham on the Thursday before Christmas Day, so she can oversee preparations for the festivities with her family, but she might have to rearrange her plans.
WATCH: A royal Sandringham Christmas
With the general election taking place on 12 December, 10 Downing Street has announced that if Boris Johnson returns as Prime Minister, the State Opening of Parliament and the Queen's Speech will follow on Thursday 19 December.
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The statement continued: "The State Opening of Parliament will take place with reduced ceremonial elements, as was the case following the early general election in 2017. This is due both to the early general election and the proximity of the State Opening to Christmas. If there is a change of Government following the Election it is anticipated that the Queen’s Speech would be in January on a more usual timetable; but this would be a matter for the incoming administration."
The Queen usually takes a commuter train to Sandringham
This will be Her Majesty's second speech within the space of a few weeks. The Queen delivered her first on 14 October, where she set out the government's agenda for plans and future legislation.
While the monarch donned the full ceremonial regalia, she did not wear the Imperial State Crown – instead it was placed next to her on a cushion. The headpiece weighs more than 1kg and is adorned with 2,901 precious stones, making it very, very heavy! So, given its weight and her age, the Queen opted for the smaller George IV State Diadem throughout the entire ceremony instead.
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Last week, Her Majesty was reunited with her old friend Sir David Attenborough, 93, as she presented him with the Chatham House Prize for 2019.
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