Charles officially announced as king at royal ceremony (2024)

King Charles III signs an oath to uphold the security of the Church in Scotland during the Accession Council at St James's Palace, London, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch. Victoria Jones/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Victoria Jones/AP

Charles officially announced as king at royal ceremony (2)

King Charles III signs an oath to uphold the security of the Church in Scotland during the Accession Council at St James's Palace, London, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch.

Victoria Jones/AP

LONDON — King Charles III was officially announced as Britain's monarch Saturday, in a pomp-filled ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism — and, for the first time, broadcast live.

Charles automatically became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday, but the accession ceremony is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.

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.

Europe

King Charles III makes first speech to the U.K.

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."

King Charles III makes his declaration during the Accession Council at St James's Palace, London, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, where he is formally proclaimed monarch. Jonathan Brady/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Jonathan Brady/AP

Charles officially announced as king at royal ceremony (4)

King Charles III makes his declaration during the Accession Council at St James's Palace, London, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, where he is formally proclaimed monarch.

Jonathan Brady/AP

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.

This is the first time the accession ceremony has been held since 1952, when Queen Elizabeth II took the throne.

Charles was accompanied at 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 the title Charles long held, Prince of Wales.

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.

The proclamation will also be read out in the medieval City of London and at other locations across the U.K.

Two days after the 96-year-old queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland following an unprecedented 70 years on the throne, people still came in their thousands to pay their respects outside Buckingham Palace in London. The scene was repeated at other royal residences across the U.K. and at British embassies around the world.

The monarch set the tone for his reign on Friday, vowing in a televised address to carry on the queen's "lifelong service," with his own modernizing stamp.

Charles looked to both the past — noting his mother's unwavering "dedication and devotion as sovereign" — and the future, seeking to strike a reassuring note of constancy while signaling that his will be a 21st-century monarchy.

He reflected on how the country had changed dramatically during the queen's reign into a society "of many cultures and many faiths," and pledged to serve people in Britain and the 14 other countries where he is king "whatever may be your background or beliefs."

He also tried to overcome a reputation for aloofness in his first hours as monarch, spending time shaking hands with some of the thousands who came to leave flowers and pay tribute to the queen at the gates of Buckingham Palace. He was greeted with shouts of "Well done, Charlie!" and "God save the king!" One woman gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Britain is holding a period of mourning for the queen, with days of carefully choreographed ceremonies marking the death of the only monarch most people have ever known.

In the next few days the queen's body will be brought from Balmoral, first to Edinburgh and then to London, where she will lie in state before a funeral at Westminster Abbey.

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.'"

Charles officially announced as king at royal ceremony (2024)

FAQs

Charles officially announced as king at royal ceremony? ›

Charles was officially proclaimed King on the Saturday following the Queen's death. This event took place at St James's Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

When was Charles announced as king? ›

Charles III became king immediately upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at 15:10 BST on 8 September 2022. He was proclaimed king by the Accession Council on 10 September, which was followed by proclamations in other Commonwealth realms. Charles's wife Camilla became queen consort.

When was King Charles coronation announced? ›

Planning for the Coronation

The date for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was announced by Buckingham Palace in October 2022, a month after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

What was the official announcement of King Charles III? ›

With the advice and consent of the Executive Council of Manitoba, We proclaim that, by the death of Our late Sovereign Queen Elizabeth the Second on September 8, 2022, His Royal Highness Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Canada and His other Realms ...

What era will it be when William is king? ›

With Charles as King, we are in the Carolean Era. If William chooses to use his current name it will be the Gulielean Era - both are Latin.

What was Prince Philip's real last name? ›

On February 28, 1947, Philip became a British subject, renouncing his right to the Greek and Danish thrones and taking his mother's surname, Mountbatten. (His father's family name had been Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.)

What will happen to Camilla at the coronation? ›

What is Camilla's title now? At King Charles's coronation in May 2023, Camilla officially became Queen Camilla. This was a change from her original title as queen consort, which she had received when Queen Elizabeth died.

Why was May 6 chosen for coronation? ›

Perhaps most notably for modern royal fans, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the eldest child of Charles's son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, was born on May 6, 2019, so Charles's coronation day will also fall on the same day as his grandson's 4th birthday.

Why is Camilla being crowned? ›

That's because if a male sovereign is married when they accede the throne, his wife is traditionally anointed and crowned in a short ceremony. That takes place after Charles III is crowned and the homages are paid. On Saturday, Camilla became the 29th Queen Consort to be crowned at Westminster Abbey.

What is the royal announcement in May 2024? ›

In May 2024 HM The King and HM The Queen granted their first Royal Warrants of Appointment of the new reign. The grants were made to companies drawn from those previously holding a Royal Warrant of Appointment to His Majesty as Prince of Wales, who began granting Warrants in 1980.

What is the King Charles diagnosis? ›

King Charles' cancer diagnosis

Buckingham Palace announced in a statement on Feb. 5, 2024, that Charles had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer. During a treatment to address a benign enlarged prostate condition the month prior, doctors found something else.

What has Camilla done now? ›

Charles and Camilla's coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023. Camilla carries out public engagements representing the monarch and is the patron of numerous charities and organisations. Since 1994, she has campaigned to raise awareness of osteoporosis, which has earned her several honours and awards.

Was Camilla anointed at the coronation? ›

Queen Camilla was blessed and anointed alongside her husband, King Charles III, during his coronation ceremony.

Did Harry attend the King Charles coronation? ›

William, who attended the coronation with his wife and children, and Harry, who attended the coronation alone, did not appear to interact at all during the service at Westminster Abbey.

Who will be king after Prince William? ›

Instead, after the queen, her firstborn, Charles, ascended to the throne and became the British sovereign. Next in line is his firstborn, William, Prince of Wales, and then William's firstborn, Prince George.

Why does the king have two birthdays? ›

The answer lies in the weather: Summer in England (namely June) is the best time for a parade. The two-birthday tradition for a British monarch dates back to 1748, when King George II combined the annual summer military march with his birthday celebration, though he was born in November.

How old was Charles 1 when he became king? ›

Charles was crowned on 2 February 1626, aged 25. He had married Henrietta Maria of France the previous year.

Why was the coronation date chosen? ›

However, there are apparently several symbolic reasons why Charles may have chosen it. May 6 is also the date of his grandson Archie's birthday and the late Princess Margaret's – the Queen's sister's – wedding anniversary. Read more: here's how you can volunteer for the King's coronation.

How old was Camilla when she married? ›

Sally Bedell Smith claimed that the announcement was sent out by the pair's parents without their knowledge, which forced Parker Bowles to propose. They married on 4 July 1973 in a Roman Catholic ceremony at the Guards' Chapel, Wellington Barracks, in London. Shand was 25 years old and Parker Bowles 33.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Catherine Tremblay

Last Updated:

Views: 5617

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Catherine Tremblay

Birthday: 1999-09-23

Address: Suite 461 73643 Sherril Loaf, Dickinsonland, AZ 47941-2379

Phone: +2678139151039

Job: International Administration Supervisor

Hobby: Dowsing, Snowboarding, Rowing, Beekeeping, Calligraphy, Shooting, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Catherine Tremblay, I am a precious, perfect, tasty, enthusiastic, inexpensive, vast, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.