Charles arrived at London’s Westminster Hall to trumpets with his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, for the speech – part of a series of lavish ceremonies following the Queen’s death on Thursday at her Balmoral country home in Scotland after 70 years on the throne . After the speech, the new monarch set off for Edinburgh to join his siblings for an official procession when Queen Elizabeth’s coffin is carried into the city’s historic cathedral. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up They will then take part in a vigil at St Giles’ Cathedral on the Scottish capital’s century-old Royal Mile, where the coffin will lie in state before being flown to London on Tuesday. Prime Minister Liz Truss – still in her first week in office – and MPs from the House of Commons and the House of Lords – attended the speech at Westminster Hall. The Lord Speaker described the late Queen as “both a leader and a servant of her people”. Charles and Camilla sat in ceremonial chairs, with cavalry soldiers in red tunics and plumed helmets standing at attention behind. In his speech, Charles said: “At a very young age, her late Majesty was committed to serving her country and people and upholding the precious principles of constitutional government that lie at the heart of our nation. This vow he kept with unsurpassed devotion. “He set an example of unselfish duty which, with God’s help and your advice, I am determined to follow faithfully.” The assembly sang “God Save the King.” Charles, 73, who automatically became king of the United Kingdom and 14 other kingdoms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea after the death of his mother, is known for expressing his views on issues ranging from the environment to youth issues. He has suggested that as king, he may have to tone down his style, in keeping with the tradition that the monarch stays out of political matters.
CROWN OF SCOTLAND
On Sunday, the Queen’s oak coffin, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, was carried by hearse on a six-hour journey from Balmoral through the picturesque Scottish countryside, villages, small towns and cities to Edinburgh. read more Tens of thousands of well-wishers lined the streets to pay their respects, while huge crowds, some in tears, gathered in Edinburgh to greet the team. Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla stand for the national anthem as they visit Parliament in Westminster, following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain September 12, 2022. REUTERS/John Sibley/Pool read more “I think when the Queen’s coffin came out of Balmoral Castle yesterday, I think it was a moment of enormous significance,” John Swinney, Scotland’s deputy first minister, told BBC radio. “I think people took a breath, because what we’ve all been living for the last few days suddenly became real, became visible.” When the coffin arrives at St Giles’ Cathedral, the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, the leading Scottish peer, will place the Crown of Scotland on it. After the service, the coffin will rest there for 24 hours to allow people to pay their respects. A vigil will be held by soldiers of the Royal Company of Archers – the sovereign’s ‘Home Guard in Scotland’. Charles, who will also visit the Scottish Parliament and meet Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, will later hold a vigil at 7.20pm. (1820 GMT) along with other members of the royal family. On Tuesday, the coffin will be flown to London, where on Wednesday it will begin a period of repose until early on September 19 – the day of Elizabeth’s state funeral – in a vault at Westminster Hall. It will be guarded by soldiers or Yeoman Warders – known as beefeaters – from the Tower of London.
EXPECTED CROWD
Members of the public will be allowed to walk past the coffin, which will be covered by the Royal Standard with the sovereign’s Orb and Scepter placed on top, for 24 hours a day until 6.30am. (05:30 GMT) on September 19. “Those wishing to attend will have to queue for many hours, possibly overnight,” the government said in a statement. “Large crowds are expected.” Meanwhile, thousands of people continued to gather at royal palaces across Britain, bringing flowers. In Green Park near Buckingham Palace, where some of the tributes are being held, long rows of wreaths now snake around the park allowing mourners to read the tributes. “I was really moved, to lose the Queen,” Amy Gibbs, 43, said outside Buckingham Palace. “I think she was an amazing lady who did her best and gave us everything.” Britain last saw such public mourning in 1997 after Charles’ first wife, Princess Diana, died in a car crash in Paris. In his first public comment since the Queen’s death, Prince Harry – Diana’s son – paid a moving tribute to his “grandmother” on Monday, saying she will be greatly missed not only by the family but also by the world. read more “Grandma, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first encounters—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my beloved wife and you hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.” “We, too, smile to know that you and grandpa are reunited now, both together at peace,” Harry said, referring to Elizabeth’s husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, who died last year. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by Michael Holden in London and Andrew MacAskill in Edinburgh. Additional reporting by Kate Holton, Muvija M, Will Russell and William James. Editing by Angus MacSwan and Janet Lawrence Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
