In his speech, Charles honored his “beloved mother” and spoke of her legacy of “service and devotion.” “It is mindful of the legacy of service and devotion to this country set by my beloved mother the late Queen that I deliver this, the first King’s Speech in over 70 years,” he said from the throne in the House of Lords Chamber.
The last King to deliver such a speech was his grandfather King George VI in 1951 when Charles was a toddler.
Since becoming King, Charles, who was once seen as a meddling Prince of Wales who lobbied ministers with handwritten letters about issues he cared about, has been careful not to be seen to be political in any way.
The King’s Speech, which commentators have described having been delivered in a “resolutely neutral tone,” laid out government’s legislation and Charles was obliged to outline Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plans to send illegal immigrants to Rwanda, something the King is privately said to strongly disagree with. On Tuesday, he had his best poker face on, there was no hint of whether he approved or not.
