King Charles III performed his second State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday, reading the sovereign’s speech—which was written by a Labour government for the first time in 14 years.

Charles and Queen Camilla took their thrones in the Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament, in London as the king officially opened the first parliamentary term of the government formed by the U.K.’s new prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer.

On July 4, Starmer’s Labour Party won a landslide victory against the Conservatives. As part of his duties as a constitutional monarch, Charles then met with Starmer at Buckingham Palace and formally asked the Labour leader to form a new government in his name.

Another of Charles’ duties is to open Parliament and read the king’s speech, which outlines the government’s policy goals for the coming parliamentary term. Jack Royston, Newsweek‘s chief royal correspondent, told Sky News that the king should be well prepared to deliver the speech. He also referenced advice Charles may have taken to heart from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

“The queen did have one very important piece of advice, which was do not bow your head to the notes because the crown is so heavy that you’ll just go all the way forwards,” he told anchor Kay Burley. “She said you have to bring the notes up to your face.”

King Charles and Queen Elizabeth Wearing CrownA composite image of King Charles III, left, wearing the Imperial State Crown during the State Opening of Parliament in London on July 17 and Queen Elizabeth II wearing the crown during the ceremony in…  HANNAH MCKAY/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES/CARL COURT – WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES

Royston also said of the king: “He’s done so many speeches I honestly don’t think he can get nervous anymore. I think he’s more likely to get nervous about the ceremonial moments and the order of things. I think in actually delivering the speech, he’ll be fine.”

Royston also said of the king: “He’s done so many speeches I honestly don’t think he can get nervous anymore. I think he’s more likely to get nervous about the ceremonial moments and the order of things. I think in actually delivering the speech, he’ll be fine.”

Elizabeth’s advice was given in a rare on-camera interview for a 2018 documentary about her coronation.

Speaking to broadcaster Alastair Bruce, the queen examined the Imperial State Crown, which had been taken from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace for the program.

“Fortunately, my father and I have about the same shaped head, but once you put it on it stays. It just remains itself,” she said of the crown, which was altered slightly for Charles’ use at his coronation in 2023.

King Charles and Queen Camilla Parliament 2024King Charles and Queen Camilla at the State Opening of Parliament in London on July 17. The king held his speech as he read it aloud to the members of the Houses of Lords and…  HENRY NICHOLLS/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
In the documentary, Elizabeth referenced reading the speech at the State Opening of Parliament, saying: “You can’t look down to read the speech. You have to take the speech up [to eye level] because if you did your neck would break or it would fall off.”

“So there are some disadvantages to crowns,” she added. “But otherwise, they’re quite important things.”

Charles was not the only royal to don glittering headwear at the historic ceremony on Tuesday.

Queen Camilla appeared for the second time wearing the historic George IV Diamond Diadem, a crown-like tiara created for the 1821 coronation of King George IV that has since been worn by all queens and queen consorts.