King Charles III vowed in his first address to the nation as monarch on Friday to continue Queen Elizabeth II’s “lifelong service” as Britain entered a new era under a new sovereign. Around the world, the Queen’s extraordinary reign has been commemorated, celebrated and discussed. Charles, who has spent much of his 73 years preparing for the role of king, addressed a nation mourning the only British monarch most people living today have ever known. He takes the throne at a time of uncertainty for both his country and the monarchy itself. He spoke of his “deep sadness” over his mother’s death, calling her an inspiration. “That promise of lifelong service I renew to everyone today,” he said in the nine-and-a-half-minute recorded speech, delivered with a framed photograph of the Queen on a desk in front of him. “As the Queen herself has done with such unwavering devotion, I now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold constitutional principles at the heart of our nation,” he said. The king’s speech was televised and streamed to St Paul’s Cathedral, where around 2,000 people attended a memorial service for the queen. Mourners at the service included Prime Minister Liz Truss and members of her government. As the country began a 10-day period of mourning, people around the world gathered at British embassies to pay their respects to the queen, who died on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. In London and at military sites across the UK, cannons fired 96 shots in an elaborate 16-minute salute marking each year of the Queen’s life. Widespread admiration for Elizabeth in Britain and its former colonies was occasionally mixed with disdain for the institution and the imperial history it symbolized. Charles, who became monarch immediately after his mother’s death, will be formally crowned king in a ceremony on Saturday. He is expected to tour the UK in the coming days. The Queen’s coffin will be taken to London, where it will lie in state before the funeral at Westminster Abbey, expected around September 19. On his first full day as king, Charles left Balmoral and flew to London for a meeting with Truss, who had been appointed by the queen just two days before her death. He arrived at Buckingham Palace, the monarch’s home in London, for the first time as sovereign, stepping out of the official Bentley state limousine with Camilla, the Queen’s consort, to shouts of “Well done, Charlie!” from the crowd. and the singing of the national anthem, now called “God Save the King.” A woman gave him a kiss on the cheek. Under intense scrutiny and pressure to show he can be both caring and regal, Charles walked slowly past the flowers piled at the palace gates for his mother. The atmosphere was both mournful and celebratory. The seismic monarch change comes at a time when many Britons are dealing with an energy crisis, the rising cost of living, the war in Ukraine and the fallout from Brexit. In his speech, Charles looked both to the past – noting his mother’s unwavering “loyalty and devotion as a sovereign” – and to the future, seeking to strike a reassuring note of stability. He reflected on how the country had changed during the Queen’s reign to a “multi-cultural and multi-faith” society, while “our values have remained and must remain steadfast”. He spoke of his son Prince William, now heir to the throne and officially given the title Charles had long held, Prince of Wales. “With Catherine by his side, our new Prince and Princess of Wales, I know, will continue to inspire and guide our national conversations, helping to bring the marginalized to the center where vital help can be given,” Charles said, referring to in the couple’s work on homelessness, mental health and other issues. And he struck a note of reconciliation after an acrimonious family split when he said: “I also want to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives abroad.” Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have had strained relations with the royal family since they stepped down from their official duties and left the country in 2020, citing what they said were intolerable intrusions and racist attitudes towards the bisexual American actress by the British media. . . As the second Elizabethan Era drew to a close, crowds of people arrived throughout the day to mourn together and lay flowers outside the gates of Buckingham Palace and other royal residences. Financial officer Giles Cudmore said the Queen “has just been steadfast through everything, the good and the bad”. At the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh, a grieving April Hamilton stood with her young daughter, fighting back tears. “It’s just such a significant change that’s going to happen,” he said. “I’m trying to keep it together today.” Many sporting and cultural events were canceled as a mark of respect and some businesses – including Selfridges and Legoland – closed their doors. The Bank of England postponed its meeting for a week. Elizabeth was Britain’s longest-serving monarch and a symbol of stability in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and turmoil in her family, including the messy divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Public affection for the Queen had helped maintain support for the monarchy amid complaints in some quarters that it had outlived its usefulness. But Charles does not have that kind of popularity. “Charles can never replace her, you know,” said 31-year-old Londoner Mariam Serouani. Like many, she referred to Elizabeth as a grandmotherly figure. Others compared her to their mothers or great-grandmothers. But around the world, her death revealed conflicting feelings about the nation and the institutions it represented. In Ireland, some football fans cheered. In India, once the “jewel in the crown” of the British empire, businessman Dhiren Singh described his own personal grief at her death, but added: “I don’t think we have a place for kings and queens in today’s world.” To some, Elizabeth was a queen whose crown glittered with fragments of a stunning 3,106-carat diamond pulled from bleak South African mines, a monarch who inherited an empire they resented. Across Africa, nations rejected British rule and opted for independence in her first decade on the throne. Associated Press writer Cara Anna in Nairobi, Kenya, and AP reporters around the world contributed to this report.
