The State Opening of Parliament will take place next week, which is expected to be the final opening before the next General Election.
The ceremonial event will mark the first day of a new Parliamentary session with King Charles III set to make an appearance for the historical event.
The State Opening of Parliament marks the formal start of the parliamentary year and sets out the government’s agenda for the 2023-24 session, outlining proposed policies and legislation.
This year, His Majesty the King is set open Parliament for the first time as monarch.
When is it happening?
The State Opening will take place on Tuesday, November 7 and is the main ceremonial parliamentary event of the year.
It starts with a ceremonial search of the cellars in the Houses of Parliament to commemorate Guy Fawkes' ‘gunpowder plot' of 1605 before the ceremony begins in the Prince’s Chamber in the House of Lords.
What is the King's Speech?
The ceremony for this year will see King Charles III give his first speech as monarch in a State Opening.
He has delivered the Queen's Speech before, as the Prince of Wales, on behalf of his mother - the late Queen Elizabeth - in May 2022.
The speech will be read in the House of Lords chamber by King Charles but is not his words. Instead, it is written by the government and contains an outline of its policies and proposed legislation for the new parliamentary session.
What happens during the speech?
Traditionally, the State Opening begins with a procession in which the King travels from Buckingham Palace to Westminster by carriage.
On arrival, he uses the Sovereign's Entrance, reserved for the monarch.
The King then leads a procession to the throne in the House of Lords.
MPs are then summoned to Lords by Black Rod, an official position currently held by Sarah Clarke.
Before entering the House of Commons, Black Rod has the door shut in their face, symbolising the chamber's independence from the monarchy.
What are the timings for the State Opening?
The main parts of the ceremony take place between 11am and 12.30pm, with debates expected into the policies announced further into the afternoon.
About two hours after the speech is delivered, MPs reassemble in the House of Commons to begin debating its contents.
After introductory speeches by two MPs, the prime minister will "sell" the speech to the Commons, setting out a vision for the country.
The leader of the opposition then gets the chance to respond, before other MPs are allowed to contribute.
The next session of Parliament is likely to be the last before the next general election, which must take place by January 2025.
