who writes the king's speech

King’s speech: what is it and why does it matter?

Senior Lecturer in History, Anglia Ruskin University

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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?

The king’s speech is the central part of the ceremony marking the state opening of parliament .

At the start of each parliamentary session, the monarch goes – in a state coach and escorted by the household cavalry – to the House of Lords, accompanied by the crown as a symbol of his royal authority. 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. In 1964, an irreverent Private Eye cover had Queen Elizabeth II reading the speech while saying: “I hope you realise I didn’t write this crap.”

The speech and the ceremony are a reminder of the constitutional relationship of crown and government. Although political power rests with the prime minister and cabinet, there is nevertheless a layer of authority above them.

What happens at the speech?

The tradition of a king’s speech has its origins in the medieval parliament, but the speech from the throne as we know it today first evolved in the late 17th century , when parliament finally established its power over the monarch.

Much of the modern ritual is a Victorian concoction. The monarch sits on the royal throne in the House of Lords – the upper house. Members of parliament are imperiously summoned by a royal official known as the gentleman usher of the black rod (though the office is currently held by a woman, and so: the lady Usher of the black rod). 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. And that, ever since 1642, when Charles I entered the chamber with armed men in a foiled attempt to arrest five MPs, the House of Commons is the one place in the realm where the monarch is not allowed to step.

MPs amble informally down to the upper house to show they are going because they choose to, not because they are summoned, and the speech they are to hear is the work of the government, not the king. It’s political theatre.

What if the monarch disagrees with the speech?

Whatever his private feelings, the monarch must not show any overt preference for any political party, so the speech is always read in as neutral a tone as possible. Sometimes the speech might include current acronyms or technical terms which sit strangely with the glittering jewellery and gold on display, but the monarch must read it all, giving nothing away either by tone of voice or facial expression.

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.

This means that a monarch might solemnly read out a speech written by one party, and, a year later, if there has been a change of government, equally solemnly read out a speech outlining a completely different programme and written by their opponents.

What can we expect from this year’s king’s speech?

The grand ceremonial of the state opening has sometimes been scaled down, in wartime or if the economic situation suggests tactful restraint. 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. Reports have indicated that the speech will also include bills related to the prime minister’s pro-motorist plans, a gradual smoking ban and leasehold reform.

After the speech, the monarch makes an equally ceremonial departure and MPs shuffle off back to the Commons where they begin a debate, which normally lasts a week. This is called a humble address to the monarch, thanking him for his gracious speech, but in reality offering MPs a chance to support or attack the government for its now-public list of intentions. And so normal politics resumes.

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What is the King's Speech and what does it mean for me?

Everything you need to know about the State Opening of Parliament.

The King’s Speech is a speech written by the government and delivered by the Monarch at the State Opening of Parliament.  

It marks the beginning of a new parliamentary year, or session, and is an opportunity for the government to set out its legislative agenda for the coming months. 

In the speech, the government will typically set out bills which it intends to introduce to Parliament in the session ahead, as well as other policy priorities which do not require legislation.

When is the State Opening of Parliament?

The State Opening of Parliament takes place on the first day of a new parliamentary session. 

Each parliamentary session begins with the State Opening of Parliament and runs for around 12 months.  

Sessions are not a specified length, but there are normally five sessions in each Parliament. This means there are typically five sessions between each general election. A new parliamentary session will begin after every general election.  

When a parliamentary session comes to an end the House is prorogued, which means the parliamentary year has formally ended until the next State Opening of Parliament.

What happens during the State Opening of Parliament?

The State Opening of Parliament begins with the Monarch’s procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster. 

The Monarch arrives at the Sovereign’s Entrance to Parliament and subsequently leads the Royal Procession to the chamber of the House of Lords. 

A senior officer in the House of Lords known as Black Rod will then summon members of the House of Commons into the Lord’s Chamber to listen to the speech. 

Before entering the Commons chamber, the door is shut in Black Rod’s face and the official will strike the door three times before it is opened. This practice dates back to the Civil War and symbolises the Commons’ independence from the monarchy. 

When the Monarch leaves the chamber, a new parliamentary session begins.  

Members of both the House of Commons and House of Lords will then debate the content of the speech for a number of days before the speech is voted on.

Did you know?

Traditions around the Monarch’s speech and the State Opening of Parliament can be traced back to the 16th century.

Before the Monarch arrives, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster for explosives to commemorate Guy Fawkes’s gunpowder plot of 1605.

The custom of Black Rod banging on the door of the Commons dates back to 1642, when Charles I tried to arrest five MPs, and symbolises the right of the Commons to exclude royal messengers.

The Imperial State Crown has 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and 4 rubies.

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King’s Speech 2023: Charles and Black Rod’s roles in the State Opening of Parliament explained

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On Tuesday, King Charles will deliver his first State Opening of Parliament as monarch – an event that has been long been steeped in custom, pomp and pageantry.

The event marks the formal start of the parliamentary year and sets out the government’s proposed policies and legislation for the 2023-24 session.

The late Queen Elizabeth II delivered the speech a total of 67 times during her reign and only missed it only a handful of times including the year of her death last year. Charles delivered a speech on behalf of his mother in May 2022. He will now be embracing traditions that have been in place since the 16th century for the first time as monarch. Here’s all of the pomp and pageantry to expect from the event…

Charles is expected to travel to the Houses of Parliament in the Irish State Coach, escorted by members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. When he arrives, the national anthem will be played, and he will be greeted by the Lord Great Chamberlain, Rupert Carington, and the Earl of Marshal, Edward Fitzalan-Howard.

Royal regalia

The King will then continue to the robing room, where he will put on the ceremonial Parliament Robe of State – which features a long, crimson red velvet train with gold embroidery – and Imperial State Crown, which is covered in nearly 3,000 precious stones.

Charles is expected to be carrying the royal regalia, including the crimson velvet Cap of Maintenance and the steel-bladed Sword of State.

Members of Parliament are then summoned by Black Rod, an official position currently held by British ambassador Sarah Clarke, who is the first female holder of the role in its 650-year history. Before entering into the chamber, the Black Rod has the door shut in their face, symbolising the chamber’s independence from the monarchy. The Black Rod then strikes the door three times before it is opened.

The king’s speech

The speech will be read in the House of Lords chamber by King Charles but not in his own words – it is written by the government and contains an outline of its policies and proposed legislation for the new parliamentary session.

It is unlikely that Charles will be wearing the crown for the entire duration of the ceremony, given its weight. When Charles read his mother’s speech on her behalf last year, the crown was carried on a cushion and placed on a table nearby.

What is the Imperial State Crown?

While the crown has existed in various forms in the past, the current version of the State Imperial Crown was made in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI and was worn by the Queen after her coronation in 1953.

More than 2,900 precious stones adorn the crown, including the Cullinan II diamond, St Edward’s Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire and the Black Prince’s Ruby.

At the front of the crown band is the “Cullinan II”, the second largest stone cut from the Cullinan Diamond, also known as the Second Star of Africa.

It is covered with 1,363 brilliant-cut, 1,273 rose-cut and 142 table-cut diamonds, 277 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and four other rubies. It also has a purple velvet cap with an ermine border and is lined with white silk.

This crown, also known as the Crown of State, was last worn by the king as he left his coronation ceremony in May.

The Imperial State Crown does not feature the most controversial diamond in the crown jewels: the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which Buckingham Palace chose not to involve in the coronation ceremony in May, due to the controversy surrounding its ownership.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond was mined in India and is one of the largest-cut diamonds in the world, weighing 105.6 carats (21.12g). The first written record of the Koh-i-Noor diamond appears in 1628, during the Mughal Empire. The diamond was set into Mughal ruler Shah Jahan’s Peacock Throne, alongside the Timur Ruby.

The Koh-i-noor was acquired by the British on the annexation of the Punjab in 1849. It was placed among the crown jewels of Queen Victoria and in 1851, the diamond was put on display at the Great Exhibition in London.

​​The Indian government has demanded that the British return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to them several times over the years after the country gained independence in 1947. Its most recent request was made in 2016, when it said it would make every effort to bring back the diamond.

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King's Speech

The King's Speech is part of the State Opening of Parliament, the formal beginning of each new session of parliament.

The next King's Speech, which will mark the State Opening of the first session of parliament following the election , is scheduled for 17 July 2024. 

What is a King's Speech and when is it delivered?

The King’s Speech is part of the State Opening of Parliament, the formal beginning of each new session of parliament. No substantive parliamentary business in either the House of Commons or House of Lords can usually occur until after the speech is delivered. Known formally as the ‘Speech from the Throne’, it was previously referred to as the Queen’s Speech, but following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022 the State Opening of Parliament is now conducted by the King.

Sessions of parliament usually last for around a year, meaning that a Queen’s, or now King’s, Speech tends to be held annually. However, an unusual two-year-long session in 2010/12 meant there was no Queen’s Speech in 2011, and the two-year 2017/19 session meant that no Queen’s Speech was held in 2018.

Following the December 2019 general election, a Queen’s Speech was held to mark the first session of the new parliament. That session lasted until April 2021, and the last session began with a Queen’s Speech on 11 May 2021. The 2021/22 session ended with the prorogation of parliament on 28 April, and the Queen’s Speech, conducted by the then-Prince Charles, was held on 10 May 2022.

Due to Covid restrictions, some ceremonial aspects of the 2021 Queen's Speech were different from usual – for example, there were fewer people present.

Why is the King's Speech important?

Procedurally, the ‘Speech from the throne’ allows parliament to begin a new session and start its business. It is also symbolic of the role of the monarch in the constitution.

Politically, the King’s Speech is important because it is a test of a government’s ability to command the confidence of the Commons – especially if it is at the beginning of a new parliament, or if a new government has recently taken over. If a government has a majority in the Commons, then a King’s Speech is unlikely to cause it many headaches; but for governments with only narrow majorities, or who are governing as minorities, it can be more of a test. Historically, passing the vote following the speech and the subsequent debates was an important test of whether a government commanded confidence in the Commons.

The King’s Speech also matters because it allows the government to set out its priorities and programme for the coming session, including the legislation that it intends to pass.

Who writes the King's Speech and what does it contain?

The speech is written for the sovereign by the government. Customarily, it is delivered by the sovereign in a neutral tone, so as not to convey any sense of their views. It is also generally expected that the speech will be listened to by MPs and peers in silence.

The speech lists the legislation that the government intends to introduce to parliament, and reference is also usually made to “other measures” that the government will bring forward – this is to give the government flexibility to introduce other bills as the session goes on.

The sovereign will also list any state visits that they plan to make, and any overseas heads of state who have been invited to the UK over the course of the session.

Can anybody other than the King deliver the speech?

Yes. Prior to 2022, Queen Elizabeth II was not present at two openings of parliament in 1959 and 1963 – in both cases as she was in the late stages of pregnancy. On these occasions, the speech was read on the Queen’s behalf by the lord chancellor and the opening of parliament happened through a royal commission appointed by the sovereign.

On 9 May 2022 it was announced that the Queen would not be present at the opening of parliament the following day. However, the way that the Queen’s absence was dealt with in 2022 differed from previous occasions on which she was unable to attend.  

For the opening of parliament on 10 May 2022, the then-Prince of Wales delivered the speech and took part in the ceremonial aspects of the day, along with the then-Duke of Cambridge Prince William. They did this as ‘counsellors of state’, a position held by a small number of senior royals to whom the Monarch can delegate certain functions. For the Prince of Wales to exercise the specific function of opening parliament, Letters Patent were issued under the terms of the 1937 Regency Act. Under the terms of the Regency Act, counsellors of state are required to act in pairs, and for this reason Prince William accompanied his father to the opening of parliament.

This was the first time a counsellor of state opened a new session of parliament – although counsellors of state have previously been delegated other responsibilities, for example while the Queen was on a visit to Malta in 2016.

Enabling the Prince of Wales to open parliament as a counsellor of state meant that the ceremonial aspects of the day were changed far less than they would have been if parliament were opened through a royal commission.

Separately, on other occasions during the Queen’s reign, ceremonial aspects of the day were scaled back for other reasons – for example, during the Covid pandemic.

What happens before the speech?

The day of the King’s Speech traditionally begins with the Yeoman of the Guard – effectively the sovereign’s bodyguard – conducting a ceremonial search of the basement of the Houses of Parliament, a tradition that dates back to the 16th century ‘gunpowder plot’ of Guy Fawkes. 

On the morning of the speech, the monarch processes to the Houses of Parliament from Buckingham Palace. On arrival, he uses an entrance specially reserved for the monarch – the Sovereign’s Entrance – and heads to the Robing Room, where he dons the crown and robe of state. The King then leads a procession to the throne in the House of Lords, passing through the Royal Gallery where guests are watching.

A parliamentary official known as Black Rod is then sent to the House of Commons to summon MPs to go to the Lords and watch the speech. Traditionally, the door of the Commons is shut in the face of Black Rod, who bangs the door three times before they are allowed in. This dates to the era of the Civil War, and symbolises the independence of the Commons from the monarch.

Once Black Rod has been allowed into the Commons chamber, MPs are summoned to the Lords, and process through parliament to stand at the Bar of the House in the Lords (a point beyond which non-members of the Lords cannot cross).

Separately, it is tradition that one government MP – usually a whip who bears the title of Vice Chamberlain of the Household – is ‘held hostage’ in Buckingham Palace while the King is in parliament, to ensure the monarch’s safe return.

What happens after the speech?

After listening to the speech in the Lords, MPs return to the Commons, and both Houses of Parliament take a short break until later that afternoon. When they resume sitting, the Speaker in each House formally reports on the King’s Speech and orders the text of it to be printed into the official record.

Each House then proceeds to give a purely symbolic formal first reading to two specific bills: the Outlawries Bill in the Commons, and the Select Vestries Bill in the Lords. Neither of these bills are ordered to be printed or to proceed to their second reading, as they are not actually intended to ever become laws nor to serve any practical purpose. Instead, they are designed to show that each House can consider other matters before it turns to debating the King’s Speech – another way of emphasising their independence from the sovereign.

How is the King's Speech debated and voted on?

Debate over the content of the King’s Speech formally occurs on a humble address to the King, thanking him for his speech – usually referred to as ‘the Loyal Address’. The debate begins after the speech is delivered, and usually continues for several days.

In the Commons, a motion is moved and seconded by two government backbenchers who are, traditionally, from very different constituencies and parliamentary intakes. Their short speeches are, by tradition, humorous and non-contentious. The leader of the opposition then makes a speech, at which point the more substantive part of the debate begins. The prime minister responds, and gives more detail on the government’s plans.

In the Lords, a motion making the address to the King is also moved and seconded. The leader of the opposition in the Lords then moves a motion to adjourn the debate, which peers use to hold a general, short discussion on the content of the King’s Speech.

Both Houses then adjourn, or break, until the next sitting day, when debate on the address continues.

Subsequent days

In recent years, debate over the King's Speech in the Commons has tended to take place over six sitting days. Each subsequent day’s debate centres around a theme, such as foreign affairs or health, which is usually chosen by the leader of the opposition.

Debate is opened and closed each day by the relevant ministers and shadow ministers. Debates on subsequent days in the Lords also focus on a different theme each day as chosen by the opposition.

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Can the Loyal Address be amended or voted down?

Yes – it is possible for the address to the King to be amended.

In the Commons

Any MP can table an amendment to the address, or sign an amendment tabled by another MP in order to show their support. These can only be debated and voted on during the final two days of debate, as set out in Standing Order No. 33 of the Commons’ rules, with the Speaker able to choose a maximum of four amendments for debate.

One amendment, usually in the name of the official opposition, is usually debated and voted on during the penultimate day of debate. Up to three further amendments can then be selected by the Speaker on the final day of debate. One of these will be tabled by the opposition; once that has been dealt with, any remaining amendments are voted on ‘forthwith’ – meaning without debate. This procedure came into formal operation in 2014, when Standing Order No.33 was changed following the Speaker’s controversial decision, the previous year, to allow three amendments on the final day of debate, where previously only a maximum of two had ever been selected.

Sometimes, even the threat of an amendment can be enough to force the government to change course. In 2017, an amendment tabled by Labour MP Stella Creasy, with cross-party support, led to the government changing its stance on women from Northern Ireland seeking abortions in England. The government did this before the amendment was formally voted on.

In the Lords

Although the House of Lords may also debate the address for several days, it is customary that no votes are held at the end of their debates. This means that the Lords have no opportunity to amend or vote down the address.

What happens if the government is defeated?

The King's Speech can be voted down. This would be of major political significance, as it would clearly call into question the ability of the government to command the confidence of parliament. Historically, a defeat on the address has been treated as an implicit loss of confidence in a government as it suggests that there is no majority to be found in the Commons for its programme for government.

It is rare for the government to be defeated on the address in the Commons – as governments usually have a majority in the House. But it has happened – most recently in 1924, when Stanley Baldwin’s minority government was defeated. Baldwin then resigned as prime minister, and the opposition went on to form a new government.

What happens to other parliamentary business while the Loyal Address is being debated?

Substantive parliamentary business cannot begin until the new session has formally opened, following the delivery of the King’s Speech.

In the Commons, ministers can make statements, the regular schedule of oral questions can begin, and the government can begin to introduce bills. Secondary legislation can also be considered – but the time allocated to the debate on the address takes precedence. However, the debate on the address can be temporarily postponed in order to deal with urgent business – which last happened in 2006 with an emergency bill relating to Northern Ireland – or interrupted by an emergency debate held under Standing Order Number 24.

However, ways and means motions, which relate to money, and Westminster Hall debates cannot be held until the end of debates on the address unless MPs vote to suspend existing rules. This means that a budget cannot be held until after the debate on the address has finished.

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