The protesters were out, as usual, but nobody was paying them a lot of attention. For all the angry bellowing and sign-waving of ‘Not my King!’ and ‘Down with the Crown’, most observers were not focusing on a small, disaffected rabble outside parliament, but instead on the constitutional and historical significance of the occasion. The first monarch’s speech setting out the agenda of a Labour government for nearly 15 years; the first King’s Speech in eight decades; the first time that a king had delivered a speech for a new – and, allegedly, transformative – Labour administration since 1945. It was an occasion rich in ceremonial and political symbolism alike, and King Charles, a ruler closely attuned to the power of both speech and gesture, could not have been better placed to deliver it.
He sounded positively distasteful talking about House of Lords reform
Of course, the pageantry of the State Opening of Parliament dazzles and beguiles. The appearance of the priceless Imperial State Crown – so important that it has to be conveyed by its own state coach – is never a let-down, and the appearance of the king’s ceremonial bodyguard, the Yeomen of the Guard, has all the pomp and circumstance of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. And then there’s Black Rod, the knocking and grovelling, before the entirety of the Commons decamps to the Lords in order to listen to the speech.
After a year in which the King’s public appearances have been rationed, both for reasons of his treatment for cancer and the election campaign, his delivery of the speech was a highlight for anyone interested in the relationship between monarchy and politics. While he was not as strong vocally as in the speeches that he gave last month during the D-Day celebrations, he still managed to convey the sense of regality and security that some of those still concerned Labour will undoubtedly welcome.
The contents of the speech were extensively briefed in advance. At nearly 20 minutes, it was policy-heavy, and with a great deal of information to be conveyed.Yet from a performance perspective, it was interesting to see the way in which Charles’s delivery suggested greater emphasis on statements such as ‘my government will govern in service to the country’ and ‘stability will be the cornerstone of my government’s economic policy’, which could either suggest approval or scepticism, depending on your perspective.
There could be little doubt that, when he said ‘my government realises the urgency of the global climate challenge’ and the necessity of Great British Energy, there was greater passion and conviction in his voice – this being a long-held interest of the King’s – than in discussing, say, the necessity for an independent football regulator or the imposition of VAT on school fees. And he sounded positively distasteful talking about House of Lords reform, perhaps thinking about some of his dear friends who would now find themselves out of ermine. (One minor amusement: the contemptuous way in which Charles stressed the word ‘food’ in ‘junk food’, making it sound all the more distasteful and alien.)
The relationship between Charles and his new prime minister seems, so far, to be a warm and mutually respectful one, as could be seen by their dual appearance at an Idris Elba-led event to combat knife crime last week. While there are aspects of the speech that the King may not be wholly happy about, it is likely that he will be relieved to see the end of the planned flights to Rwanda – a policy he was said to describe as ‘appalling’. By and large, this steady, cautious King’s Speech was a success.
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