Where and when is the speech from the Throne delivered?

Article 65 of the Constitution states that each year a statement of the policy to be pursued by the Government over the next twelve months must be given by or on behalf of the King. The King delivers the Speech from the Throne before a joint session of the two Houses of the States General on the third Tuesday in September (the state opening of parliament) in the Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal) in The Hague.

Since 1923 the Speech from the Throne has always been delivered by the head of state, except in 1947, when Queen Wilhelmina was ill and the speech was delivered by Prime Minister Louis Beel.