(Ottawa) A ceremony to officially proclaim the accession of King Charles III to the head of the Canadian state will take place Saturday morning at Rideau Hall.
Updated at 0:11
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to meet with members of his cabinet before heading to Rideau Hall to join Governor General Mary Simon at the proclamation ceremony.
The date of the national memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II in Canada is still unknown: officials in Ottawa are eagerly awaiting confirmation in London of the date of her state funeral in the UK.
The Department of Canadian Heritage, however, indicates that this national ceremony will include a religious service, televised from the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa. A commemorative parade, a 96-gun salute and a military parade are also planned to honor the longest-serving Canadian head of state in the history of the federation — 70 years out of 155.
Government officials in Ottawa say the national memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II is to take place on the same day as the Queen’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey, London — the date of which is yet to be announced. known.
Despite this uncertainty about the date, the Very Reverend Beth Bretzlaff, Dean of Ottawa and Rector of Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, assures that preparations are already underway.
Heritage Canada indicates that this religious ceremony will be invited “representatives of governments, dignitaries and representatives of organizations with which Her Majesty has maintained close ties such as charities and military regiments”.
The national commemoration ceremony will begin with a commemorative parade in Ottawa, with members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, says Heritage Canada. A salute of one cannon shot per year of life will be fired during the parade.
Late Friday, after returning from a three-day cabinet retreat in Vancouver, Trudeau arrived at Rideau Hall to sign the book of condolences for the Queen.
“Right now, all Canadians are united in grief. Canada came of age under the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as Sovereign, and generations of us have benefited profoundly from her steadfast and gracious leadership and service,” the Prime Minister wrote.
The book of condolences is also available online, on the Heritage Canada website.