King's Speech

The King's Speech is the ceremonial address delivered by the monarch at the State Opening of Parliament, setting out the government's legislative programme for the new parliamentary session. It is written by the government, not the monarch, and is the primary mechanism by which the Prime Minister formally communicates the Cabinet's legislative priorities to both Houses of Parliament. State Opening includes a procession, the ritual of Black Rod summoning the Commons to the Lords chamber, and the delivery of the Speech from the Throne.

The Speech does not pass legislation; it announces intentions. Bills mentioned in the Speech require full parliamentary passage through both Houses. Bills omitted from the Speech can still be introduced but typically lack government priority status. The Speech marks the opening of a new parliamentary session, which begins after prorogation.

The most recent King's Speech was delivered on 13 May 2026, opening the new session following the prorogation of 29 April 2026. It contained 27 bills. The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, which would have retrospectively regulated crypto donations to political parties, was absent from the programme for a second successive session, confirming it would not be legislated in the near term.

The exclusion proved temporary. After the government accepted the Rycroft Review in full on 6 July 2026, the Representation of the People Bill reached Report stage and Third Reading in the Commons in the week of 14 July, reviving legislation the May King's Speech had left for dead.