Today, King Charles will give his first speech from the throne as monarch. He delivered the queen’s speech once as Prince of Wales, deputising in May 2022 for his mother, who could not attend. This is the first speech by a king since 1951, though on that occasion King George VI was too ill to attend and the speech was read out by the Lord Chancellor.
Who writes the king’s speech and why does it matter?
- There, he reads out a speech outlining the government’s plans and priorities for the year ahead.
- Although it is known as the king’s speech, it is actually written by the government, for the monarch.
What happens at the speech?
- The monarch sits on the royal throne in the House of Lords – the upper house.
- No seats are provided for MPs, so they have to crowd into an inadequate space at the back.
- Meanwhile, the door of the Commons is slammed in black rod’s face as a reminder of the independence of the Commons.
What if the monarch disagrees with the speech?
- The monarch has the right to advise, warn and encourage the prime minister on policy.
- In return he must always follow the prime minister’s advice and he must read the prime minister’s speech.
What can we expect from this year’s king’s speech?
- This is something the king himself has to gauge, with advice from the government.
- The speech is the first indication of the government’s legislative priorities for the year ahead.
- We can certainly expect reference to housing and the cost of living crisis, and possibly to the ongoing crises in Gaza and Ukraine.
Sean Lang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
