Queen set to deliver delayed speech in UK parliament amid political turmoil

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This year's Queen's Speech will be delivered Wednesday to reveal the British government's to-do list over the next two years, according to a Tuesday announcement by Parliament.

The speech read out by the monarch at the State Opening of Parliament normally reflects the winning party's election manifesto. However this year's situation is complicated due to the Conservative Party's electoral setback. The important political event has been delayed for two days as Theresa May's government seeks a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to secure a parliamentary majority.

File photo of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, next to Prince Philip, waiting to read the Queen's Speech to lawmakers during the State Opening of Parliament in May 2016 / CFP Photo

According to media reports, the government’s priorities will be to “strengthen the union, combat terrorism, deliver Brexit, and deliver prosperity.”

The speech may not set out the government’s detailed plans, said the BBC. Discussing the country’s divorce with the European Union will be an important goal for the address, but revelations on the details of the plan are not expected, the BBC said.

The DUP said problems have arisen it its discussions with Tories. Senior DUP sources on Tuesday said negotiations “haven’t proceeded the way we would have expected,” according to The Guardian.