King Charles: What to expect from the King’s address

King Charles III will address the United Kingdom in his first official King’s Speech since taking on the crown in 2022. The annual address is usually reserved for the head of the British monarchy and was previously delivered by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

ALSO READ: Meghan Markle’s biographer claims King Charles ‘never liked going to Africa’

Tuesday 7 November will mark the first time that Britain has heard a King’s Speech in over seven decades. The Speech is an annual national address where King Charles will read out the UK government’s plans for the coming months. It traditionally serves as the curtain raiser for the national State Opening of Parliament ceremony.

In this year’s King’s Speech, King Charles is expected to announce several groundbreaking measures for British citizens.

ALSO READ: King Charles’s royal visit to Kenya for a historic apology

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM KING’S SPEECH 2023

The King’s Speech is not only a curtain raiser for the UK parliament, but it is an influential address when it comes to British lawmaking. In the last Queen’s Speech, in May 2022, Queen Elizabeth recommended 31 bills that took effect over the next 18 months. This year, King Charles looks to take further strides and is expected to announce harsh criminal penalties for sexual offenders.

ALSO READ: Why the royal family blue ticked Prince Harry’s 39th birthday

According to the BBC, the King plans to announce measures that will see sexual offenders get life sentences for their crimes. He is also expected to announce measures that force criminals to appear in the dock and laws that could stop prisoners from being able to marry.

WHERE CAN I WATCH KING CHARLES DELIVER HIS ADDRESS?

Proceedings will kick off in the morning (GMT) on Tuesday and King Charles is expected to deliver the King’s Speech at 11:30 GMT (13:30 South African time) and the Speech is expected to run for around 10 minutes. Shortly after that, the State Opening of Parliament will then commence.

Charles III opens Parliament for the first time on Tuesday . This is the #KingsSpeech we need to hear .

This our last , best chance for legislation – the #CEBill – to restore nature & deliver a just transition that leaves no one behind .

Back @cebill_now https://t.co/SCNurGmkTu pic.twitter.com/YpLQ9EWby7

— Chris Packham (@ChrisGPackham) November 6, 2023

However, the King’s Speech is also expected to be greeted with some tension as some of the measures King Charles is set to unveil could implicate houseless Britons. One user expressed their distaste towards the upcoming measures by saying, “Trying not to despair at the irony of the King/ Government listing out laws they plan to pass that will deliberately making rough sleepers’ lives more miserable while sitting on a literal gold throne.”

ALSO READ: New royal family role? Princess Eugenie might move back to UK

There will be more updates as soon as King Charles has delivered the 2023 King’s Speech.