Prince Charles takes center stage at opening of parliament, delivers Queen's Speech

Prince Charles and Prince William took center stage at the opening of parliament on Tuesday.

The Prince of Wales and his son Prince William replaced the 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth who missed the grand set-piece event for the first time in almost six decades.

The  73-year-old  future king  read out the government's legislative agenda at the Palace of Westminster.

The State Opening of Parliament is an event of huge pomp and pageantry which traditionally sees the queen traveling to the assembly in a State Coach, escorted by mounted soldiers in ceremonial uniform, while the Imperial State Crown and other regalia travel ahead in a carriage of their own.

The Queen previously missed the occasion only twice during her 70-year reign - in 1959, and 1963, when she was pregnant with sons Andrew and Edward.