The ‘King’s speech’ was held in the British Parliament for the first time in 70 years. Queen Elizabeth II of England gave the ‘Queen’s speech’ during her reign (1952-2022), and King Charles III of England gave a speech at the opening ceremony of Parliament on the 7th for the first time since taking the throne. In his speech, Charles III also revealed that he was looking forward to the state visit by President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife, scheduled for this month.
In the UK, the King makes a speech every time Parliament opens and introduces the major policy tasks pursued by the government. The King’s Speech is an event that symbolically shows the tension between the monarch and parliament that occurred during the birth of Britain’s constitutional monarchy. When the King arrives at Westminster from Buckingham Palace, he sits on the throne in the aristocratic House of Lords. After King Charles I (1600-1649) was beheaded while suppressing the House of Commons, the monarch was not allowed to enter the House of Commons. The King’s speech begins when the members of the House of Representatives move to the Senate and take their seats under the guidance of the ‘Black Rod’, a senior parliamentary official in charge of royal affairs within the Senate and the House of Representatives. At this time, one of the members of the House of Commons is held hostage to ensure the King’s safe return.
The king makes the announcement, but the speech is written by the cabinet. King Charles III’s speech included key policies of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is entering the last session of parliament ahead of next year’s general election.
According to the BBC, King Charles III began his speech on this day by saying, “I pay tribute to the dedication of my beloved mother (the late Queen Elizabeth II),” and went on to approve new North Sea oil and gas development, curb smoking by minors, and strengthen punishment for serious criminal offenses. The Rishi Sunnack government has outlined 21 bills it plans to pass through parliament this session. However, the bill to ban sexual minority conversion treatment was not announced.
He then revealed foreign policy directions and plans, including support for Ukraine and humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and also mentioned President Yoon’s state visit. Charles III said, “I look forward to welcoming the President of Korea and First Lady Kim Kun-hee on a state visit this month.” President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is visiting the UK this month to mark the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the UK, is the first state guest invited by Charles III since his coronation in May this year.
Charles III then concluded his speech by mentioning efforts to combat climate change and inflation. The BBC explained that the king used the word “long-term” eight times, reflecting the ruling Conservative Party’s national convention slogan last month, “Long-term decisions for a brighter future.”
King Charles III had the experience of giving an opening speech to parliament last year on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, who had limited mobility. However, even at this time, it was described as a queen’s speech.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.