King Charles III is set to give just the second King's Speech in more than 70 years on Wednesday (July 17) at the State Opening of Parliament. 

The King's Speech is where the UK Government sets out its legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session.

Wednesday's speech will only be Charles' second since taking over the role of King following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

The last State Opening and King's Speech took place on November 7, 2023.

What time is the King's Speech?

King Charles will read the 2024 King's Speech in the House of Lords Chamber at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday (July 17).

The State Opening begins with the Monarch’s procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster, escorted by the Household Cavalry.

When the Monarch arrives at Sovereign's Entrance he will then proceed to the Robing Room.

Wearing the Imperial State Crown and the Robe of State, he leads the Royal Procession through the Royal Gallery, packed with around 600 guests, to the chamber of the House of Lords, the UK Parliament website explains.

Once the royal procession has arrived at the chamber, Black Rod will proceed to the Commons Chamber and summon its members to the House of Lords.

The doors of the Commons will then be symbolically "slammed" closed before MPs will then follow Black Rod to the Lords to hear the King’s Speech. 

King Charles is set to arrive at 11.20am on Wednesday, according to UK Parliament, with the royal procession taking place at 11.27am.

The King's Speech is then set to take place at around 11.30am.

Once the speech is over, the King will return to the Robing Room before departing.

When the Monarch leaves, the new parliamentary session starts and Parliament gets back to work starting with members from both Houses debating the content of the speech.

What to expect in the King's Speech?

This will be the first legislative agenda set out by the new Government following Sir Kier Starmer and the Labour party's victory at the general election earlier this month.

Who is the cabinet and what does it do?

More than 35 bills are expected to be announced by Labour in the King's Speech on Wednesday with a heavy emphasis on securing economic growth.

These bills include:

  • Fiscal discipline - the Government has promised legislation to toughen spending rules which it said will “ensure economic growth”
  • Further devolution - plans to “empower regions” by delegating further powers to local and regional leaders
  • National wealth fund - designed to attract billions in private sector investment
  • Planning and infrastructure - restoring mandatory housebuilding targets for local authorities, as part of the drive to build 1.5 million homes over five years
  • Revitalising rail - the Government is planning to renationalise nearly all passenger rail services within five years
  • Border security - the Government is preparing early legislation to introduce new counter terror-style powers and measures to tackle organised immigration crime
  • Eradicating smoking - Labour is expected to resurrect the previous Government’s proposed ban on anyone born after 2009 buying tobacco

Other bills set to be addressed in the King's Speech include:

  • Clean energy boost
  • Skills push to focus on big business
  • Help for mental health
  • Reform for renters
  • Crime and policing
  • Football governance
  • Acting on AI
  • Constitutional reform

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Sir Keir said: “Our work is urgent. There is no time to waste.

"We are hitting the ground running by bringing forward the laws we will need to rebuild our country for the long-term – and our ambitious, fully-costed agenda is the down payment on that change.

“From energy, to planning, to unbreakable fiscal rules, my Government is serious about delivering the stability that is going to turbo-charge growth that will create wealth in every corner of the UK.”