Watch as King Charles III delivers the King’s Speech for first time as monarch at the state opening of Parliament on Tuesday, 7 November.
The King read out a speech setting out the legislative programme for the new parliamentary session, but he has no role in setting this agenda – he read out the list on behalf of Rishi Sunak and the government.
This year’s speech – the first King’s Speech in seven decades after the death of Queen Elizabeth II – set out sentencing reforms, a smoking crackdown and a move to phase out leasehold.
With a general election predicted in 2024, the prime minister is expected to seek to make law and order a key election battleground.
Mr Sunak was expected to detail a series of measures in the King’s Speech promising tougher sentences for killers, rapists, and grooming gang ringleaders.
The speech also proposed a law that would stop children who turn 14 this year and those younger from ever legally buying cigarettes or tobacco in England.
The smoking law was promised by Mr Sunak at the Tory conference.
Other measures in the speech include allowing police to enter a property without a warrant to seize stolen goods, such as phones, when they have reasonable proof that a specific stolen item is inside.
