King Charles unveils Sir Keir Starmer’s plans for Britain

A page boy stole the show during the King’s Speech as the Monarch snapped over a maladjusted royal robe.

The King’s screech at a page boy who ruffled the royal feathers overshadowed the first King’s Speech of the UK’s new Labour government.

A frustrated King Charles appeared to snap at the unsuspecting page boy during the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords.

It comes just days after the 75-year-old was spotted snapping at a royal aide to help Queen Camilla into a coat during a military parade in Jersey.

In the latest incident, the King waved away a page attempting to adjust the length of the flowing white robe.

King Charles III snaps at a page boy attempting to tame the bulky Robe of State. Picture: Getty Images

King Charles outlined Labour’s first program for government in 15 years with promises of economic stability and tougher action on irregular immigration to improving relations with Europe soured by Brexit.

“We will unlock growth and take the brakes off Britain,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in introductory remarks to the King’s speech, a centuries-old tradition full of pomp and ceremony that details the laws the government proposes to make over the next 12 months.

Mr Starmer also had a crack at Reform UK party led by the eurosceptic Nigel Farage secured five seats.

King Charles and Queen Camilla at the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords. Picture: Getty Images

“The snake oil charm of populism may sound seductive, but it drives us into the dead end of further division and greater disappointment,” Mr Starmer said, pledging to lead a government of “service”.

Despite its name, the address, which marks the official start of the new parliamentary session, is not written by the monarch as head of state but by the government. It was centre-left Labour’s first such speech since it was last in power in 2010.

The King and Queen leave from Buckingham Palace in London, headed for the Houses of Parliament, for the State Opening of Parliament ceremony. Picture: AFP

Wearing the diamond-studded Imperial State Crown, his Admiral of the Fleet uniform and the crimson Robe of State, King Charles delivered Labour’s proposals from a golden throne in the House of Lords upper chamber after a carriage procession from Buckingham Palace.

The speech included more than 35 bills, including measures to enforce public spending rules and an independent assessment of future budgets to prevent a repeat of former prime minister Liz Truss’s disastrous 2022 mini-budget that tanked the British economy.

King Charles reads the King's Speech from the The Sovereign's Throne in the House of Lords chamber. Picture: Getty Images

The legislation fleshed out several announcements already made, such as the launching of a wealth fund to draw investment into the UK to spur growth and of a publicly owned body tasked with boosting clean energy by 2030.

Labour also announced an acceleration of house building and plans to take Britain’s much-maligned rail services back into public hands.

There was also detail of a new border security command with beefed-up “counter-terror powers” to curb “immigration crime” — Starmer’s pledge to “smash the gangs” behind migrant crossings of the Channel from northern France.

The monarch's crown is driven to Parliament in a state carriage as Republic, an anti monarchy group, protest along the procession's route. Picture: Getty Images

The day’s ceremonials started when royal bodyguards ritually searched the basement of the Palace of Westminster for explosives — a legacy of the failed attempt by Catholics to blow up parliament in 1605.

The King then travelled from Buckingham Palace, escorted by mounted cavalry, en route to the Houses of Parliament.

King Charles at the ceremony. Picture: Getty Images

A smattering of antimonarchy protesters chanted “Not my king” outside parliament, while the Metropolitan Police said 10 members of the activist group Youth Demand were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (left) and Conservative leader Rishi Sunak (right) lead MPs through the Central Lobby at the Palace of Westminster. Picture: Getty Images

An MP was ceremonially held “hostage” in the palace to ensure the King’s safe return.

A parliamentary official known as Black Rod had the door of the lower-chamber House of Commons slammed in her face, a tradition that symbolises parliament’s independence from the monarchy.

MPs then followed Black Rod to the upper chamber, where King Charles gave the speech to assembled lords and ladies in red robes with ermine fur, plus invited members of the elected Commons.

Reform MP Nigel Farage walks through the Central Lobby at the Palace of Westminster ahead of the State Opening of Parliament. Picture: Getty Images

In keeping with the convention that the monarch is above politics, he remained expressionless throughout.

Sunak, who intends to step down as Tory leader once a successor is found, said Labour had “tapped into the public’s desire for change” and “must now deliver change”.

Labour returned to government following a landslide win against the Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives earlier this month, in which the hard-right Reform UK party led by the Eurosceptic Nigel Farage secured five seats.

Originally published as King Charles unveils Sir Keir Starmer’s plans for Britain