Throne speech

A speech from the throne (or throne speech) is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign, or a representative thereof, reads a prepared speech to the members of parliament when a session is opened, outlining the government's agenda for the session. The speech is prepared by the ministers of the crown in cabinet. The event is often held annually, although in some places it may occur more or less frequently, whenever a new session of parliament is opened. Many republics have adopted a similar practice in which the head of state, often a president, addresses the legislature; for example, in the United States, the president makes an annual State of the Union address and in the Philippines, the president also makes an annual State of the Nation Address.

Historically, when monarchs exercised personal power in government, a speech from the throne would outline the policies and objectives of the monarch; as such the speech was usually prepared by the monarch's advisers, but the monarch supervised the drafting of the speech at least to some extent and exercised final discretion as to its content. In constitutional monarchies today, whether by law or by convention, the head of state (or representative thereof) reads the Speech From the Throne, but it is prepared by the ministers of the crown in cabinet. The address sets forth the government's priorities with respect to its legislative agenda, for which the cooperation of parliament is sought.

In the United Kingdom, the speech is known as Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech, the Gracious Address, or, less formally, the Queen's Speech (or King's Speech, when the reigning monarch is male). In Canada, it is often shortened to Throne Speech (in French: Discours du Trône). Since 1973, the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec has delivered a short inaugural address termed the Allocution, after which the premier reads his or her Discours d'ouverture (Opening Speech), called the Message inaugural from 1974 to 1984. In Australia, this speech is called the Governor's speech or opening speech.

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