Queen to attend first Cabinet meeting

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LONDON, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Queen Elizabeth II, as Britain continues to mark her Diamond Jubilee, will become the first monarch to attend a Cabinet meeting since Queen Victoria.

Prime Minister David Cameron and his ministers planned to present the queen with a jubilee gift Tuesday, The Guardian reported. They contributed the money personally for the present.

While the queen is head of state, she is supposed to be above politics. Her role includes opening Parliament with a speech laying out the government's plans, meeting regularly with the prime minister for briefings and giving the royal assent to government actions.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. and to last about 90 minutes. The queen will be an observer, sitting next to Cameron.

Monarchs have not regularly attended Cabinet meetings since the reign of Queen Anne, 300 years ago. Queen Victoria was the last to do so on a special occasion.

In July, Cameron hosted a lunch for the queen and four of his predecessors as prime minister.