The Queen will host a reception for NATO leaders at Buckingham Palace on 3 December and Prince Andrew will not be in attendance, the Palace has confirmed. The occasion will mark 70 years of the NATO alliance and other royal family members in attendance will include the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge, who will attend without her husband Prince William. The Duke of Cambridge is away on an official trip to the Middle East on that date.
Established in 1949 with 12 founding members, NATO is now an alliance of 29 countries. At the heart of NATO is collective defence, set out in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, NATO’s founding Treaty. The UK is one of NATO’s 12 founding members and London was home to its first headquarters, which makes the occasion at Buckingham Palace all the more special.
The Queen and Kate Middleton
It's been a busy few weeks for the Queen, and on Monday it was revealed that the monarch may find her Christmas plans in Sandringham delayed due to the general election, which takes place on 12 December. 10 Downing Street 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 Queen and Boris Johnson
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The full statement read: "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."
This will be Her Majesty's second speech within the space of just weeks. The Queen delivered her first on 14 October, where she set out the government's agenda for plans and future legislation.
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