LONDON – Queen Elizabeth II is unveiling the government’s legislative agenda for its final year in office on a day that showcases Britain in grandest style – offering a sumptuous display of pomp and power.
The main ceremonial event of Parliament’s calendar is a moment of national pride, replete with ermine and silk and evoking centuries of grandeur. Tourists lined the streets near the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday to watch the parade of carriages in hopes of glimpsing the monarch’s waving, gloved hand.
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The speech marks the final opportunity for David Cameron’s Conservative-led government to outline plans for laws ahead of the national election set for 2015.
The monarch travelled in the resplendent new Diamond Jubilee State Coach, whose structure incorporates fragments of historic buildings and objects from historic sites.
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