Newsman: King Charles III was formally proclaimed monarch Saturday in an accession ceremony at St James’s Palace in London, officially marking a new era in British rule following Queen Elizabeth’s death Thursday. This is the first time the accession ceremony has been held since 1952, when Queen Elizabeth II took the throne. The ceremony is being televised for the first time in history. An hour later at 6 a.m. ET a Principal Proclamation were read in public for the first time by the Garter King of Arms in the open air from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James’s. King Charles III ascended to the throne following his mother’s death Thursday.
Prince Charles automatically became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died but the accession ceremony is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.
The ceremony ended with a royal official publicly proclaiming King Charles III the monarch from a balcony at the palace — a relic of centuries past, when this would have been the first official confirmation the public had of their new sovereign.
King Charles leapt into his new duties; he personally greeted many dozens of members of the public, held an audience with the Prime Minister, and delivered a televised address to the nation.
King Charles III vows to serve ‘with loyalty, respect, and love’ in first address as monarch.
In his first address as king on Friday sitting behind a desk, with a picture of his mother displayed prominently to his left, Charles promised he would continue in her footsteps and serve his people.
Charles said Queen Elizabeth “made sacrifices for duty, dedication and devotion.”
“I pay tribute to my Mother’s memory and I honor her life of service,” the King said. “I know that her death brings great sadness to so many of you and I share that sense of loss, beyond measure, with you all,” he added.
“As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the Constitutional principles at the heart of our nation,” the King said.
“And wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the Realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavor to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life,” he added.
Charles’ speech was pre-recorded at Buckingham Palace earlier in the day, after he arrived at the famous London residence from Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
In his speech, Charles struck a personal note, speaking of his sorrow at the loss of “my darling Mama.”
“Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years,” he said, ending with a quote from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” — “May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.'”
King Charles III officially proclaimed king by Accession Council at St James’s Palace in London at 5 am. Prince Charles automatically became King on the death of his mother, but the Accession Council is usually convened at St James’s in London within 24 hours of the death of a sovereign.
Scores of senior politicians past and present, including Prime Minister Liz Truss and five of her predecessors, gathered in the ornate state apartments at St. James’s Palace for the meeting of the Accession Council.
They met without Charles, officially confirming his title, King Charles III. The king joined them to make a personal declaration, vowing to follow his mother’s “inspiring example” as he took on the duties of monarch.
“I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now passed to me,” he said.
Speaking of his personal grief, he said: “I know how deeply you and the entire nation, and I think I may say the whole world, sympathize with me in this irreparable loss we have all suffered.”
The ceremony ended with a royal official publicly proclaiming King Charles III the monarch from a balcony at the palace — a relic of centuries past, when this would have been the first official confirmation the public had of their new sovereign.
David White, the Garter King of Arms, made the proclamation flanked by trumpeters in gold-trimmed robes before leading cheers — “hip, hip, hooray!” — for the new king.
Gun salutes rang out in Hyde Park, at the Tower of London and at military sites around the U.K. as he announced the news, and scarlet-robed soldiers in the palace courtyard doffed their bearskin hats in a royal salute
Buckingham Palace issued details of the arrangements, considered the first official orders of business of a new reign, on Friday.
Historically, the entire Privy Council is summoned to the Accession Council to oversee the formal proclamation of a new monarch.
King Charles III will undertake a number of important meetings at Buckingham Palace today following his formal proclamation as king this morning.
The king is scheduled to meet with Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, at 9 a.m. ET followed by a meeting with the U.K.’s newly appointed prime minister, Liz Truss, and members of her cabinet at 9:30 a.m. ET.
At 10 a.m. ET, King Charles II will receive the leaders of the opposition parties at Buckingham Palace before his final scheduled meeting of the day at 11 a.m. ET where he will receive David Hoyle, the Dean of Westminster.
The new king formally approved a series of orders — including one declaring the day of his mother’s funeral a public holiday. The date of the state funeral has not been announced, but it is expected to be around Sept 19.
