2 yıl önce

Charles proclaimed king, notes 'heavy responsibilities of sovereignty'

Two days after the death of his mother elevated him to the throne, King Charles III was officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch, in a ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism.

AFP

This is the first time the accession ceremony has been held since 1952, when Queen Elizabeth II took the throne. It was broadcast live — also a first.

With a trumpet fanfare and gun salutes, Charles III has officially been proclaimed king at a ceremony where he has pledged to emulate his late mother Queen Elizabeth II and serve for the rest of his life.

A court official declared Charles "our only lawful and rightful" monarch from the balcony of St James's Palace on Saturday after a historic Accession Council meeting of senior royals, clergy and government.

"I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty, which have now passed to me," Charles said in a speech before swearing an oath.

"In taking up these responsibilities, I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set."

Charles, 73, automatically became monarch upon the queen's death on Thursday, but the centuries-old constitutional formality — broadcast live for the first time — is the latest step in the setpiece 10-day programme building up to her state funeral.

Charles is king and head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

In his televised address on Friday, Charles hailed his "darling mama" for her "unswerving devotion" during her record-breaking seven decades on the throne.

"Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years," he said.

Funeral on September 19

The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will be held at Westminster Abbey in London at 11:00 am (1000 GMT) on Monday, September 19, royal officials said.

Buckingham Palace also confirmed that the queen will then be taken to St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, west of London, for a committal service.

The queen's body is currently in a coffin in Balmoral Castle, Scotland.

The queen's coffin will be taken on a 180-mile (290-kilometre) trip by road from the remote estate to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Sunday.

In the Scottish capital, the coffin will be taken from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles's Cathedral to lie at rest until Tuesday. It will then be taken by air to Buckingham Palace in London, before lying-in-state at Westminster Hall from Wednesday.

Officials expect more than one million people to file past the catafalque in Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the UK parliament complex, before the televised funeral service at Westminster Abbey opposite.

The funeral will be a public holiday in the form of a Day of National Mourning.

Charles's coronation will take place in the same historic surroundings, as it has for centuries.

The coronation will take place at a later date — and the timing for that is not yet clear. There was a 16-month gap between Elizabeth becoming queen in 1952 and her coronation in 1953.

SOURCE: TRTWorld and agencies