Hostages and searching cellars: The weird traditions to look out for during the King's Speech

By Maya Bowles, ITV News Westminster Producer

On Wednesday King Charles will deliver the King's Speech, marking the opening of the new Parliament and the first set of new laws to be put forward by the Labour government.

The speech represents the symbolic role of the King in the constitution, but is written by the government of the day.

It's a significant moment because it will be the first King's Speech under a Labour government in 14 years.

The speech will include more than 30 new bills as part of Keir Starmer's plan to "change" Britain and promote economic growth.

The new laws are expected to include plans to tackle illegal migration, protecting worker's rights, and reforming the planning system to build more homes.

The ceremony in Parliament features historic traditions that are hundreds of years old, including one MP being held hostage and a bomb search in the cellars of Westminster.

So why is the speech important and what will the day look like? ITV News explains...

What is the King's Speech?

The King's Speech is delivered as part of the State Opening of Parliament, marking the start of the new parliamentary year and the government's priorities.

The government writes the speech read out by the monarch, which is conventionally delivered in a neutral tone to keep the monarch politically impartial.

There are around 35 draft laws expected in the speech, which are then debated and voted on by MPs.

This is the second time King Charles has delivered the parliamentary speech as monarch, but he also delivered one on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II when she was unwell in May 2022.

What will the day look like?

In the morning, the King will travel to Parliament from Buckingham Palace by carriage, arriving through an entrance specially reserved for the monarch.

He will then put on the crown and the robes of the state, before leading a procession to the throne in the House of Lords.

A parliamentary official called Black Rod summons MPs into the Commons to the Lords to watch the speech, which will begin around 11.30am. Last time the speech lasted around 11 minutes.

After the speech, MPs return to the Commons, where they begin debating its contents, which lasts for several days.

The debate includes a speech by the leader of the opposition, who is now Rishi Sunak, and the prime minister then gives a response.

Members of the House of Lords also hold a short discussion on the contents of the speech.

In recent years the debating has tended to last around six days, with each day focusing on a different theme.

Why are there weird traditions?

There are a number of strange traditions around the monarch's speech and the State Opening of Parliament, which date back to the 16th century.

Before the King arrives, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster for bombs to commemorate the gunpowder plot of 1605.

Another tradition involves a parliamentary official called Black Rod having the door of the Commons shut in their face.

Black Rod then knocks three times on the door with their rod before they are finally let in. This tradition symbolises the right of the Commons to exclude royal messengers, and dates back to 1642 when Charles I tried to arrest five MPs.

Finally, it is also tradition that one MP is 'held hostage' in Buckingham Palace while the King is in Parliament, to ensure the monarch's safe return.

It's conventionally the vice-chamberlain of the household who is the hostage, a role currently occupied by MP Samantha Dixon.

What might be in the speech?

The speech is expected to contain draft laws on things Labour promised in their manifesto - ranging from protecting workers' rights to creating a publicly owned energy company.

The government are planning to give police more powers in order to tackle smuggling gangs and reduce numbers of migrants crossing the Channel.

They are also expected to lay out legislation on protecting workers' rights, including banning "exploitative" zero-hours contracts.

A key part of Labour's manifesto was introducing GB Energy, a publicly owned energy company to be based in Scotland. The company will not sell energy directly to consumers, but it will invest in renewable energy protects and cut bills, according to the government.

The King's Speech is also set to include new laws on housing - including protecting renter's rights by banning no-fault evictions and reforming the planning system to allow more homes to be built.

The speech will also reportedly contain a new law on creating a register of children not in school, which councils would have to manage. Since the Covid-19 pandemic the number of children persistently absent has risen dramatically.

The government promised in their manifesto that they would reduce the voting age to 16, but the timetable for this is unclear, so we don't yet know whether it will be in the King's Speech.

Starmer has said he'll phase out hereditary peers in the House of Lords by making Lords retire at 80 - this could also be in the speech.

One thing that won't be in the speech but the government has been heavily criticised for is a commitment to scrap the controversial two-child benefit cap.

The cap, which restricts the ability of some families to claim benefits for more than two children, came into effect in April 2017. Its critics say the policy has exacerbated the number of children in poverty in the UK - which now stands at 4.3 million.

Labour say finances are too tight to scrap the policy, but they will introduce a comprehensive child poverty strategy.

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