Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has delivered a speech outlining the plans for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government - including delivering Brexit.

She took part in an elaborate ceremony in which she traditionally wears the imperial state crown - which has 2,868 diamonds in it.

However it is now believed this is too heavy for her to wear, and she wore a smaller crown on Monday.

A crackdown on crime dominated the first Queen's Speech of Mr Johnson's government.

A package of 26 bills was set out, including seven relating to crime and justice.

But as Mr Johnson's Conservative Party has no majority in the House of Commons and a UK general election on the horizon, it is questionable how much of the legislation can get through.

The imperial state crown is carried to the state opening of the UK parliament at the House of Lords in London | Image: Hannah McKay/PA Wire/PA Images

There is also the prospect of opposition MPs voting against the legislative programme, which will be put to a vote after several days of debate.

The British Labour Party dismissed the speech as a "cynical stunt", with MP Diane Abbott saying: "It is just an uncosted wish list which the government has no intention and no means to deliver, and nothing more than a pre-election party political broadcast."

Measures on law and order included legislation to keep serious criminals in prison for longer, tougher sentences for foreign offenders and better protection for victims of domestic abuse.

Explainer: What is the Queen's Speech all about?

Brexit also featured, with ministers preparing to hurry through a bill to ratify any deal Mr Johnson and the EU agree a crucial summit later this week.

"My government's priority has always been to secure the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union on 31 October," the Queen said.

"My government intends to work towards a new partnership with the European Union, based on free trade and friendly cooperation".

Reacting to the speech, which lasted for around 10 minutes, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: "The Queen's Speech was an election broadcast for the Tory Party more than anything else.

"A speech heavy on law & order from a prime minister willing to break the law. @BorisJohnson must sign the letter asking for an EU extension as the Benn act compels him if no deal is agreed."

Business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said Mr Johnson's agenda "could excite enterprise and drive growth", but it was "impossible to ignore the Brexit straight-jacket.

"To deliver the ambition set out in the Queen's Speech, the will to get a deal must unlock a way to build a new, closely aligned relationship with the EU," deputy director-general Josh Hardie said.

There has been some anger after it emerged that legislation to protect British military veterans who served in Northern Ireland during The Troubles from repeated investigations into alleged historical offences appears to have been shelved.

General Richard Dannatt, a former head of the army, suggested it was "unacceptable" that large numbers of former soldiers still had the risk of prosecution hanging over them years after they had left the service.

"It is a really major issue here which the government has got to address," he said.