(London) King Charles III addressed the British Parliament for the first time on Monday, where he said he “felt the weight of history” and wanted to follow the “example” of his mother Elizabeth II, at the start of a week of farewell to the sovereign.
Posted at 6:29
Updated at 8:11 a.m.
Four days after the death of Elizabeth II in her Scottish residence of Balmoral, her coffin will be exhibited in Edinburgh at the end of a procession led by Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla, a new stage of a last busy journey of emotion until the national funeral on September 19.
Before joining the Scottish capital, the new king received condolences from the Speakers of the House of Lords and the House of Commons in the British Parliament in London.
“As I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history that surrounds us and reminds us of the vital parliamentary traditions to which Members of both Houses are dedicated,” the Sovereign said in a short speech.
He said his mother was “an example of devotion which – with God’s help and your guidance – I am determined to follow faithfully”.
Elizabeth II remained during her 70 years of reign a head of state with irreproachable neutrality, fulfilling without ever publicly expressing her opinions her constitutional functions, opening Parliament, promulgating laws, validating appointments, and still enthroning, two days before passing away at the age of 96, his 15e Head of Government.
Charles “is ready”
Charles III installs himself as monarch with the difficult task of succeeding his very popular mother in the context of serious social crisis and divisions in the United Kingdom, but also of contestation in the face of the colonialist past in his 14 other kingdoms.
He is 73 years old, older than all the British sovereigns on their accession to the throne.
In Edinburgh, the British will finally be able to approach their so popular queen. Many will undoubtedly flock to Saint-Gilles Cathedral to try to pay homage to him as closely as possible.
“I will surely go to see the coffin, just to pay my respects. It’s something I won’t have the opportunity to see again. I needed to do something, I wanted to be here today,” Steve Crofts, 47, who lives near the Scottish capital, told AFP.
“I’m torn, it’s the end of an era, but after listening to Charles in recent days, I think he’s ready,” said Sue Stevens, a 79-year-old Englishwoman.
Charles and Camilla behind the coffin
The coffin will leave the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the royal residence where it spent the night after being transported from Balmoral on Sunday, at 2:35 p.m. (9:35 a.m. EDT), to reach Saint-Gilles Cathedral.
The crowd is expected to see the King and Queen consort as the latter will both walk behind the hearse, while the other members of the Royal Family will follow by car, during the half-hour procession, for just over a kilometer.
During the religious ceremony that will follow, the crown of Scotland, in solid gold, will be placed on the coffin.
The Queen’s remains, a symbol of stability through decades of upheaval, a planetary icon that reassured Britons in times of crisis, will remain on display in the cathedral for 24 hours, which is expected to see heavy attendance.
Charles III is to receive the first Scottish independence minister, Nicola Sturgeon. Then, at 7:20 p.m. (2:20 p.m.), a private funeral wake will begin for the royal family.
Withdrawn from the monarchy since the resounding “Megxit”, Prince Harry joined in the tributes to Elizabeth II, whom he described as a “compass”, thanking his “granny” for her sense of duty and her “contagious smile “: “You are already sorely missed”.
“Time for Reflection” Sunday
On Sunday, the curious waited for hours to be sure of being in the front row so as not to see, if only for a few seconds, the oak coffin passing aboard the hearse.
After being presented for 24 hours to the population, the body will be embarked Tuesday evening at Edinburgh airport on board a royal plane bound for London.
It will again be on public display 24 hours a day, enclosed, draped in the royal standard, on a dais at the Palace of Westminster from Wednesday evening.
Long queues – which could reach eight kilometers – are expected while 750,000 people could try to see the coffin, according to the newspaper The Times.
The remains of Elizabeth II will remain in Parliament for five days before the state funeral. Some 500 foreign dignitaries are expected – a considerable security challenge for the police – including US President Joe Biden, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as well as many crowned heads.
Andrew, often referred to as Elizabeth II’s ‘favourite son’, will not be allowed to wear his uniform, confirming his ostracism from the monarchy following sexual assault charges he ended by paying millions of dollars.
The day before the event, on Sunday, the public will be called to mark a minute of silence at 8 p.m., Downing Street said, “a moment of reflection” in memory of the sovereign with unparalleled longevity in the history of the United Kingdom. United.