In a historic ceremony combining trumpets, swearing in and cannon salutes, Charles III was proclaimed king on Saturday in London, shouldering the “heavy responsibilities” of the crown with the “inspiring” example of his mother Elizabeth II.
With the greatest solemnity and respect to the millimeter of protocol and tradition, Charles III installs himself as head of state with the heavy task of succeeding an ultra-popular monarch who had shown an unfailing sense of duty. and was able to preserve the monarchy over its 70-year reign, the longest in the history of the United Kingdom.
“Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now, by the death of our Lady Sovereign of happy memory, become our Charles III… God save the King [Que Dieu garde le Roi] “, proclaimed the Accession Council, meeting at the Saint-James Palace. The assembly then repeated: “God save the King”.
Charles III was then sworn in. “My mother’s reign was unequaled in its duration, dedication and devotion […] I am deeply aware of this great heritage, of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty, which are now passed on to me,” he said.
“In assuming these responsibilities, I will strive to follow the inspiring example given to me,” he continued.
The ceremony, televised for the first time, took place at St. James’s Palace in the presence of new Queen Consort Camilla, new heir to the throne William, Prime Minister Liz Truss and several of her predecessors. The previous one took place in 1952, when Elizabeth II was proclaimed queen.
This Council of Accession is an age-old formality aimed at recognizing the sovereignty of the new king, even if he automatically became monarch after the death of the queen.
At the end of the ceremony, trumpets and horns sounded and Charles III was proclaimed king in public on the balcony of St. James’s Palace, before an audience of guards in emblematic red uniforms. Then cannons were fired across the UK in honor of the new ruler.
The proclamation was then relayed by half a dozen heralds in horse-drawn carriages around London.
“Stability”
Several hundred people had gathered in front of Saint-James, like Sarah and Gerard Berdien, two Londoners aged 53 and 54, who had come hoping to see their new king.
“I’m sad but we have to move on. I think the king will be different […] The queen was always the queen, always the same, no drama,” Sarah said. “That’s what we expect of him. […] We want stability,” added Gerard.
In Parliament, MPs and Lords then pledged allegiance to the new sovereign. In the afternoon, the new king will receive the Prime Minister, the principal ministers and the leaders of the opposition.
Charles III ascends to the throne in a difficult period, the United Kingdom facing the worst economic crisis in 40 years, while four Prime Ministers have succeeded in six years.
At 73, he is the oldest British monarch at the start of his reign.
“This is the moment I was dreading,” conceded the sovereign when he received Prime Minister Liz Truss for the first time on Friday.
Ovationed
Charles III is infinitely less popular than his mother, who had known how to maintain the prestige of the monarchy, giving no interviews and keeping her opinions to herself until her death on Thursday at her Scottish residence in Balmoral.
No question, however, of passing the baton to his heir William, now Prince of Wales, as some have envisaged in recent years. In his first address on Friday evening, he promised to serve the British all his life, as his “dear mother”, Elizabeth II, had done on her 21st birthday.
Portraits of Charles are on the front page of all the newspapers on Saturday, which praise his first speech. “I will strive to serve with loyalty, respect, love”: this quote from Charles crosses the covers of The Independent, from Guardianfrom FinancialTimes.
For the tabloid The Sun, the speech allayed some fears that Charles would not be able to fill the void left by the death of Elizabeth II. “Charles, with his moving maiden speech, gave us every confidence that he will fulfill this role with wisdom, skill and compassion,” reads his editorial. “We sometimes feared that he was a militant king, a risk for the future of our monarchy. But not anymore, ”adds the text.
The new king was given a standing ovation when he arrived in Buckingham on Friday afternoon after returning from Scotland. Accompanied by his wife Camilla, who became queen consort, he shook hands with dozens of people pressed against barriers in front of the palace.
Thousands of people have flocked since the announcement of the disappearance of Elizabeth II to lay bouquets of flowers and words of tribute in front of the royal residences, reflecting the immense emotion in the United Kingdom and abroad since his death.
The King has made it known that royal mourning — which involves family, staff and representatives of the Royal Household — will last for up to seven days after the Queen’s funeral. The date, around September 19, has still not been announced, but Charles has already declared a public holiday to mark the occasion.
National mourning, decreed by the government, must last him until the day of the funeral. The Queen will be buried privately in the Chapel at Windsor Castle. His coffin should be transferred before Sunday to Edinburgh, where the public will have a first opportunity to gather.
See also: Charles inherits the throne and a colossal fortune