King Charles will open the new parliamentary year on Wednesday and shepherd in the Labour government with a speech – but not one he’s written himself.
The King’s Speech, which was the Queen’s Speech when his mother was alive, is a tradition where the government sets out its plans for the session ahead via the monarch.
It’s one of the many quirks of British politics which has existed for centuries. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the King’s Speech?
Although read by the sovereign, the speech is written by the government and opens the start of a new parliamentary session.
It allows the government to explain what its priorities for the year ahead are, explaining both the legislation it will bring to Westminster and the policies which do not need legal approval.
What is the State Opening of Parliament?
The King’s Speech occurs at the State Opening of Parliament.
Usually, each parliamentary session lasts for around a year – meaning there are five in each parliamentary term – but this can change according to each government.
The State Opening is a grand occasion, and begins the moment the monarch – usually dressed up to the nines with the imperial state crown and robe of state – starts their procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster.
They arrive via the sovereign’s entrance to parliament, and then head towards the chamber of the House of Lords where around 600 guests wait.
Black Rod, a senior member in the Lords, summons the Commons to the Lord’s Chamber to listen to the speech, although only a few MPs can actually fit in the room.
Once the monarch has concluded the speech, the new session has officially begun – and the contents of the monologue is debated by the Commons and Lords for days before it is voted on.
Why is this ceremony particularly noteworthy?
It’s the only regular occasion where the three elements of the constitutional monarchy – the sovereign, the Lords and the Commons – meet.
The State Opening can be traced back to the 14th Century, while the delivery of the Sovereign’s speech came about two centuries later.
The event has been pretty much unchanged since 1852 – and therefore has some rather archaic elements.
1. A traditional search for explosives
Royal bodyguards known as the Yeomen of the Guard search the Palace of Westminster’s cellars to check for explosives, a tradition kept up since Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder plot of 1605.
2. MP “ceremonially held hostage”
An MP – usually the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, currently Samantha Dixon – is held hostage in Buckingham Palace while the monarch goes to parliament, to supposedly ensure the King makes it back home.
While the tradition dates back to King Charles I’s time – he was eventually beheaded – this MP in question will just get to watch the ceremony on TV.
3. Officials walk backwards
The Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshal accompany the monarch to the Chamber – but they cannot turn their back on him, so they have to walk backwards.
4. Black Rod gets a door slammed in their face
The door to the Commons is slammed in Black Rod’s face when they come to collect the MPs. They then have to knock on the door three times before it is opened.
The tradition dates back to 1642, when Charles I attempted to arrest five MPs. These actions show the Commons’ independence from the Crown, and how it has the right to exclude royal messengers.