LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A historic ceremony will officially crown Charles III as king on Saturday morning at St. James’ Palace.
After the Accession Council, which will be broadcast live for the first time, the flags flown in remembrance of the late Queen will be at half-mast.
A wave of additional proclamations will take place throughout the UK on Sunday until when the flags will be half-mast.
It comes after the King vowed in an emotional first speech to emulate his “darling mama’s” life of service.
He addressed the country on Friday evening and expressed his deep sorrow over the death of his mother, complimenting her kindness, sense of humour, and “unerring ability to always see the best in people.”
The late Queen ruled for 70 years, and the King pledged to serve the country with the same unwavering dedication she had.
Though the Accession Council is held almost immediately after the death of a sovereign to formally announce the successor, Charles became king soon after his mother passed away.
The King will speak personally about the passing of the Queen before the council, which begins at 10:00 BST, and take an oath to uphold the Church of Scotland because there is a separation of church and state in Scotland.
Charles’s wife of 17 years, Camilla, the current Queen Consort, and William, the new Prince of Wales, will both be in attendance.
At 11:00, the first official proclamation will be made from the Friar Court balcony of St. James’s Palace in London. This event is typically marked by centuries-old pageantry, including gun salutes fired in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London and trumpeters playing a fanfare.
The words “the Queen is dead, long live the King” are frequently inserted after the official declaration, despite the fact that they are not proclaimed formally.
The Privy Council member and longest-serving female MP, Harriet Harman, who will be present in the Accession Council, predicted that the ceremony would be a turning point in history.
She said to the BBC that they would all be in St. James’s Palace and they would all decide that King Charles should be the new monarch.
Then they would make the proclamation, which was telling the people of the country that he was now formally proclaimed as their new king.
When Charles arrived at Buckingham Palace on Friday, he was greeted by cheers and cries of “God save the King!” from the crowds that had gathered there.
Later, in his televised speech, he wished that as the new Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and his wife Catherine would “continue to inspire and lead our national conversation.”
He declared his “love for Harry and Meghan” and commended the Queen Consort’s “steadfast devotion to duty.”
The King admitted that his life had changed and that he would no longer be able to devote “so much of my time and energies” to the causes and organisations that he had long supported as the heir to the throne.
In spite of their grief over the Queen’s passing, the 73-year-old king expressed his hope that people in the UK and the Commonwealth will “remember and draw strength from the light of her example.”
The address was hailed as “wonderful” by former MP Sir Nicholas Soames, who has known the King for 65 years.
He said in an interview with BBC Radio 4 Today that he believed the king’s speech was extremely emotional and tremendously touching.
He considered it to be entirely authentic and that sincerity reigned through it.
