King's speech

American

noun

(in the British Parliament) a speech reviewing domestic conditions and foreign relations, prepared by the ministry in the name of the sovereign, and read at the opening of the Parliament either by the sovereign in person or by commission.

King's speech British

noun

(in Britain and the Commonwealth when the sovereign is male) another name for speech from the throne

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It will be open to another MP to reintroduce the bill after the next King's speech, but that depends on assisted dying campaigners being able to persuade one of those at the top of the private members ballot to champion their cause.

From BBC

In late 2010, Andrew visited Epstein in New York for a week, where the two were photographed walking together in Central Park, and were, according to emails, scheduled to attend a private viewing of “The King’s Speech”—an Oscar-winning movie about Andrew’s grandfather, King George VI. When Andrew returned to England, he wrote to Epstein: “God it’s cold and dank here! Wish I was still a pet in your family!”

From The Wall Street Journal

Siegal also leveraged Epstein’s relationship with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in her efforts to get members of the British royal family to watch and endorse the Weinstein-produced film “The King’s Speech” during its Oscar campaign in 2011, emails show.

From Salon

Their latest campaign took place a few days before the king's speech and not long after the start of the academic year.

From BBC

A session ends when Parliament is prorogued, and a new one begins with a King's Speech – which is expected in May.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023