King Charles has granted a posthumous conditional pardon to Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in the United Kingdom, commuting her 1955 death sentence to life imprisonment.
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy announced the royal decision in the House of Commons on July 8, 2026, following an application by Ellis's four grandchildren.
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The pardon acknowledges that severe domestic abuse, trauma, and coercive control were disregarded during her original murder trial.
Historic Pardon Announced in Parliament
Lammy confirmed the monarch's acceptance of government advice to grant the pardon, stating it replaces the death penalty with a life sentence to recognize a profound injustice.
"We cannot change what happened 70 years ago. But we can recognise that this was an exceptional case," Lammy said.
"Today's conditional pardon is an act of mercy. We hope it brings some measure of peace to Ruth's family," he added.
Labour MP Pam Cox brought the case forward on behalf of the family, highlighting how the historic conviction ignored the impact of coercive control.
"Her case serves as a haunting reminder of a time when our justice system ignored the realities of domestic abuse and coercive control," Cox said.
Family's Long Campaign for Justice
Ellis was hanged at age 28 after fatally shooting her partner, racing car driver David Blakely, outside a London pub.
Before the shooting, she suffered public physical assaults, severe emotional abuse, and a miscarriage after being punched in the stomach.
