Elizabeth, the nation’s longest-serving sovereign, died on Thursday at her summer retreat in the Scottish Highlands. Details of the 96-year-old queen’s funeral will be released later, but organizers described Saturday’s ceremony as “a fitting farewell to one of the defining figures of our time”. Palace officials said there will be opportunities to view the late sovereign’s oak coffin as it travels from Balmoral Castle in Scotland to Edinburgh and back to London, where her body will lie in state for four days from Wednesday.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS: — King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch in London — What will happen to all the coins featuring the queen? — Live updates: PM Liz Truss, other lawmakers pledge allegiance to king — Explanation: The official rules for the accession of Charles —- Mourners on the street: Outspoken grief flows across Britain — Will Charles be loved by his subjects, as his mother was? — ‘A constant in my life’: World mourns Queen Elizabeth II — Camilla becomes Queen Consort after a long, winding road — Find more AP coverage here: https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: LONDON — Prince William has made his first statement on the death of Queen Elizabeth II, saying “it will be some time before the reality of life without grandma really feels real.” William, who is now heir to the throne behind his father, King Charles III, said in a statement on Saturday that the Queen had “been by my side in my happiest moments. And he was by my side during the saddest days of my life.” William, the Prince of Wales, said the late Queen provided “an example of service and dignity in public life that was of a different age but always relevant to us all”.
OTTAWA, Ontario — King Charles III was officially crowned Canada’s monarch Saturday in a ceremony in Ottawa. Charles automatically became king when Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday. But like the UK ceremony just hours earlier, Saturday’s accession ceremony in Canada is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country. Charles is now the head of state in Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Although Canadians are somewhat indifferent to the monarchy, many have great affection for the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose silhouette graces their coins. Overall, the anti-royal movement in Canada is tiny, which means that Charles will almost certainly remain King of Canada. One reason is that abolishing the monarchy would mean changing the constitution. This is an inherently dangerous undertaking, given how delicately it has been designed to unite a nation of 37 million that embraces Anglophones, Francophones, indigenous tribes and a steady stream of new immigrants.
BALMORAL CASTLE, Scotland — Members of the royal family stopped to receive a sea of floral tributes left by the public outside the gates of Balmoral Castle in Scotland after attending a prayer service nearby. Queen Elizabeth II’s three youngest children — Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward — and their families greeted a crowd that gathered Saturday to follow the route outside the castle. Princess Eugenie, Andrew’s daughter, was seen laying a bunch of flowers while the rest of the family took time to read the many tributes to the Queen. The tribute came two days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and on the same day that her eldest son, King Charles III, was officially declared Britain’s monarch.
LONDON — Prime Minister Liz Truss and senior members of her government have sworn allegiance to King Charles III in the House of Commons. Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle was the first to pledge that he would “bring true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors”, followed by the longest-serving MPs and the prime minister. All legislators swear allegiance to the monarch upon their election. Taking a new oath when the monarch changes is not a legal requirement, but all 650 lawmakers will have the opportunity to be sworn in again in the coming days if they wish. Normal parliamentary business has been suspended during a period of mourning for the Queen. The House of Commons is holding a rare Saturday sitting so lawmakers can pay tribute to the late monarch.
A royal official publicly proclaimed King Charles III Britain’s new monarch during a ceremony at St James’s Palace. David White, the King of Arms, read the proclamation from a balcony at the royal residence in London flanked by trumpeters in gold-trimmed robes. Gun salutes rang out in Hyde Park, the Tower of London and military sites across the UK as the proclamation was made. Red-robed soldiers in the palace courtyard displayed weapons and removed their bearskin hats in a royal salute.
LONDON — King Charles III has declared the day of his mother’s funeral to be a public holiday. Charles approved the decision during his official accession ceremony on Saturday. The date of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral has not been announced, but is expected to take place around September 19. This will be the second extra public holiday for Britons this year – a public holiday was declared at the start of June to mark Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee, 70 years on the throne.
LONDON — King Charles III was officially crowned Britain’s monarch Saturday in a 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 Saturday’s accession ceremony is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country. The ceremony at St James’s Palace, a royal residence in London, is attended by the Council of Accession, which is made up of senior politicians and officials who advise the monarch. They met without Charles, formally confirming his title, King Charles III. The king will then join them in making a series of oaths and proclamations. It is the first time the ceremony has been held since 1952, when Queen Elizabeth II took the throne.
