KEY POINTS
- Queen Elizabeth smiled after Omid Djalili joked about her absence at the opening of Parliament
- Djalili thanked the Queen for choosing Sunday's event over the State Opening of Parliament
- Djalili said the Queen did the right thing because he won a bet with his local kebab show owner
Queen Elizabeth laughed at the joke about her absence at the State Opening of Parliament last week.
The 96-year-old royal fueled health concerns after pulling out from the State Opening of Parliament last Tuesday. It was the first time she had skipped the event in 60 years. But the Queen debunked the speculations about her being ill with her recent public outings.
The Queen was present at the Windsor Horse Show's performance of "A Gallop Through History." During the televised special featuring acting and musical performances, comedian Omid Djalili joked about the monarch when he took the stage.
"Your Royal Highness, on behalf of everyone here, we would like to thank you, very humbly, for picking us over the State Opening of Parliament," he said, People reported. "You did the right thing, and I won £5 in a bet with my local kebab shop owner in Ipswich."
While Djalili's joke raised some eyebrows, the Queen didn't mind the jest. She gave a subtle smile and waved her hand in response.
Traditionally, the Queen officially opens the Parliament, where three elements of the U.K. legislature — the House of Lords, the House of Commons and the monarchy —unite. However, she canceled her attendance due to mobility issues.
"The Queen continues to experience episodic mobility problems, and in consultation with her doctors has reluctantly decided that she will not attend the State Opening of Parliament tomorrow," a statement from Buckingham Palace read Monday, Us Weekly reported. "At Her Majesty’s request, and with the agreement of the relevant authorities, The Prince of Wales will read The Queen’s speech on Her Majesty’s behalf, with The Duke of Cambridge also in attendance."
The Queen arrived at "A Gallop Throughout History" with her youngest son, Prince Edward. She arrived wearing a gray cardigan and a blue dress with black shoes and a handbag. Her Majesty walked the red carpet with a walking stick.
She was a picture of happiness when she watched the musical ride by the Household Cavalry, the Queen's official bodyguards at ceremonial functions. She was also noticeably beaming with pride when her granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor rode Prince Philip's exercise carriage.
The Queen also attended the Windsor Horse Show Friday. Many were pleased with her surprise appearance at the event because they were worried about her health after the palace confirmed her "episodic mobility problems."
Queen Elizabeth II, 96, last missed a state opening of parliament in 1963, when she was pregnant with Prince Edward Photo: POOL via AFP / Dominic Lipinski
