Key Facts

• The king’s speech is delivered from the throne in the House of Lords at the state opening of parliament.
• The speech is written by the government but read aloud by the monarch, who must remain neutral.
• The ceremony marks the start of the new parliamentary session and connects the monarch, House of Lords, and House of Commons.
• The tradition dates back to medieval times and has evolved over centuries, with the current form starting in 1852.
• The king arrives in a horse-drawn carriage accompanied by ceremonial guards and wears official robes and the imperial state crown.
• Before the speech, a symbolic search for explosives is performed to remember the 1605 Gunpowder Plot.
• The House of Commons doors are shut in the face of the monarch’s official messenger, symbolizing the Commons’ independence.
• The speech reviews government bills and sets out plans for the coming parliamentary year.