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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II did not attend the opening of Parliament Tuesday, marking the first time in six decades the queen has not been present, ABC News reports.

Her absence Tuesday is also only the third time it has happened in her 70-year reign. She missed two previous openings of Parliament during her pregnancies with her two youngest children, Princes Andrew and Edward.

This time, the 96-year-old queen's absence was due to her health, specifically mobility issues, according to Buckingham Palace.

"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," the palace said in a statement Monday. "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."

On Tuesday, the queen's crown held her place at the opening of Parliament. It was placed next to Prince Charles, the queen's oldest child and heir to the throne, who sat on the Consort Throne.

Joining Charles were his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who will become queen consort when Charles becomes king, and Charles's oldest son, Prince William, the second-in-line to the throne.

The last time Queen Elizabeth was seen publicly in person was in March, when she led the royal family at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey for Prince Philip, her husband of over 70 years.

The queen entered Westminster Abbey using a walking stick and holding on to the arm of her son, Prince Andrew, who in February agreed to settle a sexual assault lawsuit.

Her appearance came after she had battled several health conditions over the past year, including COVID-19 and an overnight hospitalization for what Buckingham Palace described at the time as "preliminary investigations."