Prince Charles is now King Charles III; proclaimed king in an elaborate ceremony

Britain’s Charles III took oath on Saturday as he was proclaimed king during an elaborate ceremony at St James’s Palace. Addressing the assembled dignitaries, King Charles paid tribute to his mother and to his wife, Queen Camilla.

The death of the Queen was formally announced by the Accession Council before Charles III was named as king. The 200 or so people gathered in the room all then said ‘God save the King’ before documents were signed. A wave of further proclamations will take place across the UK until Sunday.

The Queen, the UK’s longest-reigning monarch, died peacefully at Balmoral Castle on Thursday afternoon at the age of 96.

The ceremony came a day after he vowed in his first speech to mourning subjects that he would emulate his “darling mama”, Queen Elizabeth II.

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10-day official mourning

Featuring trumpets and a balcony proclamation, the pomp-filled protocol is the latest part of a 10-day programme of official mourning — which will last even longer for the royals — held across Britain leading up to the queen’s funeral, an agency report said.

An emotional Charles set the tone for his reign in a televised address on Friday in which he hailed his mother’s “unswerving devotion” during her record-breaking seven decades on the throne. “Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived, a promise with destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today,” he said.

The new king also named his elder son and next heir Prince William, 40, as the new Prince of Wales, while expressing love for his younger son Harry and daughter-in-law Meghan. The move means William’s wife Kate assumes the Princess of Wales title once held by his mother and Charles’ ex-wife, the late Princess Diana.

Crowds massed outside Buckingham Palace both to mourn the queen and to wish Charles well, some of them shouting “God Save the King” as he greeted them on his return from Scotland on Friday. The oldest monarch to ascend to the British throne, he received flowers, cheers and even kisses after travelling from the Balmoral retreat where his 96-year-old mother had passed away.

Biden to attend funeral

Buckingham Palace revealed that Charles and other members of the royal family would observe an extended mourning period from now until seven days after her funeral. The date of the funeral, which will be attended by heads of state and government, has yet to be officially announced but is expected to be on Monday, September 19.

Queen Elizabeth’s body is expected to remain at Balmoral before being taken to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Sunday. From the Scottish capital, her coffin is due to travel to London on Tuesday to lie in state for several days.

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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.

US President Joe Biden has said he will attend. The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin will not.

Floral tributes left for Queen Elizabeth II

A large number of people have left floral tributes for the Majesty in London’s Green Park Memorial Garden.

Families have been laying down their tributes to honor and remember the Queen, celebrate her legacy.

Security at the Garden’s entrance is constantly working towards ensuring that all packaging is removed from the flowers before they are laid down.

Senior MPs take allegiance to King Charles

In a special Parliament session, the last one till the end of the national mourning, Senior MPs including Prime Minister Liz Truss, have sworn a new oath of allegiance to King Charles III.

The proceedings were opened by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Hoyle was followed by Sir Peter Bottomley, the longest-serving MP in the UK.

Due to time constraints, only a limited number of MPs could take the oath today, said Hoyle.

Truss who also took the pledge, said: “I swear by almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God.”