We're not sure what will be in the King's Speech exactly, but the BBC Politics team have taken a look at the key issues expected to be announced.

Among them are:

• Forcing criminals to attend their sentencing hearings
• A new Sentencing Bill, meaning a whole life order will be mandatory in the worst cases of murder
• A plan to raise the smoking age gradually so today's 14-year-olds will never be able to legally smoke
• Phasing out some leasehold properties in England and Wales, banning them for new houses
• Legislation around regulations for English football
• A bill to make it more difficult for local councils to introduce 20mph zones, or clean-air schemes like Ulez in Greater London

If you'd like to read more about what we can expect later, click here.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

For the first time, King Charles will open the new parliamentary session as monarch, delivering the first "King’s Speech" since the reign of his grandfather George VI, who died in 1952.

Charles has read out the speech before on behalf of his mother, when it was the Queen’s Speech.

But this time he will be arriving as King in his own right and it will be a return to a full ceremonial event.

Image source, Getty Images

Instead of last year’s trip to Westminster by car, there will be a procession of carriages with King travelling in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach.

The carriage might look ancient and creaky, but in fact it’s new and hi-tech, first used in 2014.

It’s made of aluminium rather than wood, with state-of-the-art suspension and air-conditioning and electric windows.

In one of the oddities of the event, the crowns and regalia are brought separately in their own carriage.

Image source, Getty Images

For fans of Royal or Parliamentary proceedings, the State Opening is the main event of the Westminster calendar.

Here's what on the agenda, for people looking to drink in the pomp and ceremony later:

Carriage procession

The event starts with a carriage procession, escorted by the Household Cavalry, from Buckingham Palace to Westminster.

Royal procession

Usually, the monarch then leads the royal procession into Parliament and the House of Lords, with the Imperial State Crown carried in front of them.

Summons

Once the King arrives in the Lords, a senior officer - known as the Black Rod - will be sent to summon MPs from the House of Commons. MPs will then enter the chamber to listen to the speech.

King’s Speech

The King will read out the speech, written by the government, in the House of Lords from around 11:30 GMT.

The King leaves - and a new session begins

When the King exits the chamber, a new parliamentary session will begin from about 14:30 and Parliament gets back to work.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will make a statement about the speech and MPs will debate its contents.

The speech is written by the government for the King to read.

It sets out the legislation that the government aims to introduce to Parliament, and often mentions“other measures” that ministers will bring forward.

This allows the government flexibility to introduce other bills in the future if they choose to.

There is no set time limit for the speech but it usually lasts about 10 minutes.

The main elements of the ceremony will take place between 11:00 and 12:30 GMT today.

The King will arrive in Westminster at around 11:20, with the Royal Procession kicking off soon after.

After he is seated on the throne in the House of Lords at 11:30, the King will give the (relatively short) speech.

There will then be a gap until 14:30, which is when MPs start to debate the contents of the speech.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The last time there was a "King’s Speech" was in November 1951.

George VI had been too ill to attend in person, but the speech delivered on his behalf had some familiar topics

There was a need to take "drastic action to reduce the growing inflation in our economy" and a promise to “stimulate the building of new houses”.

There was also a "serious shortage" of skilled labour to be tackled and the international concerns were about Korea, the Middle East and Persia – as Iran was known then.

Image source, PA Media

The King’s Speech is part of the ceremony that marks the start of the parliamentary year, known as the State Opening of Parliament.

As the name implies, the King - as head of state - makes a speech to MPs and peers in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of Parliament.

However it is ministers - rather than the King - who write the speech, which sets out the agenda of the government and the laws that it wants to introduce.

Above all, the speech provides the government with an opportunity to highlight its priorities for the months ahead.

Famous for its pomp and pageantry, the ceremony usually begins with a procession in which the King travels from Buckingham Palace to Westminster by carriage.

• Read more here.

Francesca Gillett
Live reporter

King Charles will open Parliament in a few hours with a speech that will set out the government's priorities for the coming months.

The King's Speech is written by the government but delivered by the monarch. There will be around 20 proposed new laws and at the centre will be a series of criminal justice laws - including plans for tougher sentences for murderers and rapists.

The day will be filled with lots of pomp and ceremony, and we'll bring you the latest updates on all that as well as the key announcements and political reaction.