King Charles III was officially announced as Britain’s monarch on Saturday, in a ceremony steeped in ancient traditions and political symbolism and broadcast live for the first time.
Charles automatically became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday, but the accession ceremony was a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.
The ceremony at the Palace of Sant Jaume, the royal residence in London, was attended by the Council of Membership, made up of senior politicians and civil servants who advise the monarch. They met without Charles, officially confirming his title, King Charles III. The king then joined them in making a personal statement, pledging to follow his mother’s “inspiring example” as he takes on the duties of monarch.
“I know how deeply you and the whole nation, and I think I may say the whole world, sympathize with me in this irreparable loss which we have all suffered,” he said.
From the left, Prince William; Camilla, the Queen Consort; and King Charles III, are in the Throne Room of the Palau de Sant Jaume during the Accession Council ceremony. (Jonathan Brady/The Associated Press)
It is the first time the ceremony has been held since 1952, when Queen Elizabeth took the throne.
Charles, 73, was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife Camilla, the Queen consort, and his eldest son, Prince William. William is now heir to the throne and known by Charles’ long-held title of Prince of Wales.
After Charles’ personal declaration, David White, the King-in-Arms of the League, read the main proclamation from a balcony at St James’s Palace, flanked by trumpeters in gold-trimmed robes.
League king-in-arms David White, centre, reads the proclamation announcing the new sovereign, King Charles III, from the balcony of Convent Court at St James’s Palace, London. (Richard Heathcote/The Associated Press)
“Three cheers for His Majesty the King,” White shouted, eliciting a “hip, hip, hurray” response from the soldiers below.
The Mayor of London and councilors were present, along with high commissioners from the Commonwealth realms. High Commissioner for Canada Ralph Goodale was also invited to attend.
The new king formally approved a number of orders, including one that declared the day of his mother’s funeral a public holiday. The date of the state funeral has not been announced, but is expected to be around September 19.
The Queen’s body is expected to be flown from her Balmoral estate in Scotland this weekend, first to Edinburgh and then to London, where she will lie in state before a funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Gun salutes rang out in Hyde Park, the Tower of London and military posts across the UK as the new king was announced.
After the palace ceremony, the party continued in London’s financial center with trumpets, the national anthem and three other shouts outside the Royal Exchange as Tim Duke, an officer-at-arms, gave a second reading of the proclamation
King returns to Buckingham Palace
Elsewhere, crowds cheered as King Charles’ motorcade returned to Buckingham Palace.
More proclamations of accession will be read publicly in other UK capitals on Sunday: Edinburgh in Scotland, Belfast in Northern Ireland and Cardiff in Wales.
The death of Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, has prompted an outpouring of tributes at home and around the world.
A ceremony to proclaim the king as Canada’s new sovereign will take place at 10 a.m. ET at Ottawa’s Rideau Hall.
Although he is already king, Charles’ coronation will take place at a later date, and the timing of this is not yet clear. There was a 16-month gap between Elizabeth becoming Queen in 1952 and her coronation in 1953.