King Charles granted a conditional posthumous pardon on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, to Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in the United Kingdom.
The pardon commutes her 1955 death sentence to life imprisonment.
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Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy announced the executive decision in the House of Commons. It follows decades of legal campaigns by Ellis's family.
Ellis was hanged at age 28 for killing her partner, David Blakely.
The historical conviction stems from an April 10, 1955 incident where she shot him outside The Magdala pub in Hampstead, London.
The relationship was marked by severe domestic abuse.
The trial at the Old Bailey on June 20, 1955, saw the jury deliberate for 20 minutes before delivering a guilty verdict with a mandatory death sentence.
"While the pardon does not claim she was innocent of killing David Blakely, it replaces the death penalty with a sentence of life imprisonment to recognise a profound injustice in this exceptional case," Lammy said.
The government official noted that the formal mercy acknowledges the systemic failure regarding the severe physical abuse and coercive control Ellis endured.
"We hope this brings a measure of peace to Ruth Ellis' family, who have carried the weight of what happened to her for over 70 years," he added.
The parliamentary announcement followed a formal request raised during the session by an elected representative.
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Pam Cox, Labour MP for Colchester, highlighted the historical significance of the domestic violence context.
