In the UK, who is responsible for initiating every new parliamentary session every year?

Okay, so every year, the UK Parliament kicks off a new session with a grand ceremony, and it's the monarch who gets the ball rolling. This tradition goes way back, stemming from the historical power and authority of the Crown. Think of it as a symbolic handover – Parliament needs the monarch's permission to assemble and begin its work. The monarch delivers a speech, written by the government, outlining the government's plans for the coming year. This speech is delivered in the House of Lords. While the Prime Minister leads the government and the Speaker oversees debates in the House of Commons, neither of them has the constitutional role of formally opening Parliament. And while the Archbishop of Canterbury is a very important religious figure, this is a state matter, not a religious one. So, it's the monarch, continuing a tradition that highlights the unique relationship between the Crown and Parliament in the UK's constitutional monarchy.