King Charles III will be eager to perform one of his most important "constitutional duties" in the coming week despite his ongoing treatment for cancer as the State Opening of Parliament is scheduled to take place in London on July 17, says Newsweek's chief royal correspondent, Jack Royston.
Royston told Sky News on Wednesday that the king would not want to miss this important state function. The opening of Parliament will take place after the installation of the new government following Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party win in this month's general election.
As the head of a constitutional monarchy, the United Kingdom government acts in the king's name; however, he holds no political power himself. His functions as head of state include meeting weekly with the prime minister to consult, warn, and advise on issues of the day, giving royal assent to new laws, and opening and proroguing Parliament.
At the historic ceremony, which takes place in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster (most commonly known as the Houses of Parliament), Charles will read a speech written for him outlining the policy aims for the coming parliamentary term.
Asked whether the king was up to such an undertaking, considering he continues to undergo cancer treatment following a diagnosis earlier this year, Royston told Sky News anchor Kay Burley that things appear to be positive.
"I think the king is well enough," he said. "I'm sure he wouldn't miss it for the world. This is a very important job for the king; it forms part of his constitutional duties, so it would be a big, big decision to delegate it to [Prince] William and Charles' messaging at the moment is still very much that he is in the driving seat."
The State Opening of Parliament was a duty delegated only once by Queen Elizabeth to Charles during her reign. In 2022, she asked her eldest son to attend in her place (accompanied by William) to read her speech as she experienced what Buckingham Palace called at the time "episodic mobility problems."
Elizabeth died four months later, having only appointed her last prime minister, Liz Truss, just two days earlier. Truss resigned after less than 50 days on the job, and the new King Charles appointed Rishi Sunak as her successor.
Following Sunak's defeat at the polls on July 4, the king appointed Sir Keir Starmer to form a new government in his name during a meeting at Buckingham Palace a day later.
"He met Keir Starmer, [and it was] very warm between them," Royston said of the meeting.
"Charles did spend quite a bit of time talking about how tired Keir must have been which may also be a bit of a hint at how perhaps he's been feeling tired himself. Also, perhaps he was thinking back to the time of his own succession."
"I think for Charles the State Opening, he'll have the Imperial State Crown back out and the robes of state, its pomp and pageantry," Royston said. "So, it will be another big moment for him this summer. It will be his last really big event before the August break at Balmoral."
Queen Camilla is also expected to join her husband for the State Opening on July 17, her 77th birthday.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
