After 73 years of waiting, Prince Charles today delivered his first speech from the throne in the House of Lords to mark the State Opening of Parliament – watched on by Her Majesty in Windsor via television. Charles was escorted by Prince William, after the Yeoman Warders concluded their traditional search of the Palace of Westminster.
The Palace of Westminster was fully owned by the sovereign until 1965 when the Queen agreed to hand over control of the Commons and the Lords. The Crown still retains technical ownership of some parts, such as the robing room, with the last monarch to live there being Henry VIII.
Some 21 bills were announced by Prince Charles. These were the following:
1. Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill – ’empowering local leaders to regenerate their areas’
2. Transport Bill – ‘to modernise rail services and improve reliability for passengers’
3. Energy Security Bill – ‘to deliver the transition to cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy’
4.
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