On Tuesday, November 7, King Charles opened the new session of the British Parliament with a solemn act that reflected his role as head of state.
Accompanied by Queen Camilla, the monarch rode in a carriage through the streets of London from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, where he was received with honors by members of both legislative chambers.
King Charles’ speech at the opening of Parliament
Dressed in the State Robes of Parliament and wearing the Crown of the Imperial State, King Charles proceeded to the main hall, where he sat on the royal throne and delivered the King’s Speech.
In his speech he outlined the government’s main lines of action for the coming year, as well as the laws to be submitted for parliamentary debate and approval.
The King’s Speech was the first to be heard in the British Parliament since 1950 when King George VI made his last speech before his death.
Since then, it had been his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had assumed this role until her death.
A detail to take into account is that Charles had to lead this ceremony without the presence of his son, Prince William, heir to the throne.
The Prince of Wales was not present at the ceremony, as he was in Singapore to preside over the Earthshot Award, an initiative that seeks to reward the best solutions to protect the environment.
