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Queen Elizabeth IIState & Ceremonial

State Opening of Parliament likely to be delayed following snap general election

The annual State Opening of Parliament will likely be delayed until June this year due to the surprise snap general election that will take place in a couple of months time.

The ceremonial event usually takes place in May, however, as Parliament will be dissolved it is not possible to open a Parliament that doesn’t exist.

The Queen will likely open the new Parliamentary session in mid-June after the election is over and a new government has been formed.

A Downing Street spokesperson told Royal Central that a state opening will “happen on the first day of a new parliamentary session or shortly after a general election.”

Her Majesty will be hoping that the state opening does not fall on the same week as Royal Ascot, a race meeting she attends every year in June.

The Queen was given advanced warning of the early General Election on Monday after the Prime Minister telephoned her to inform the monarch of the news.

On Wednesday, the UK Parliament will vote on whether to call a snap General Election. All political parties have indicated that they will vote with the government to call an election, thus the motion will pass.

Once passed, the Prime Minister will travel to Buckingham Palace to request that The Queen dissolves Parliament in order for MPs and political parties to start campaigning.

Parliament will likely dissolve on May 3rd, ensuring all parties have over a month to canvass voters.

Buckingham Palace has made no statement on what the monarch’s reaction is to the news of an early election.

It is possible that in just under two months time, The Queen could be appointing her 14th Prime Minister in her 65-year reign.

Mrs May said that she has called an election as Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership following the triggering of Article 50 to leave the European Union.

The Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn has said that he welcomes an early election.

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