05 October 2022
Lord Reed, president of the Supreme Court, has this week issued a practice note on the implications of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of HM King Charles III.
It notes it is necessary to reissue some Practice Directions so as to refer to His Majesty and The King, and to The King’s Bench Division and King’s Counsel. The PDs are 1, 3, 12 and 13 (Supreme Court) and 1 and 8 (Privy Council).
There are no substantive changes. Nor is there any change to the Supreme Court or Privy Council rules, because s 10 of the Interpretation Act 1978 provides that any legislative reference to the Sovereign is a reference to ‘the Sovereign for the time being’.
