King Charles III vowed in his first speech as monarch on Friday to continue Queen Elizabeth II’s “lifelong service” with his modernizing stamp as Britain entered a new era of uncertainty under a new sovereign. Around the world, the Queen’s extraordinary reign was commemorated, celebrated and debated.
Charles, who spent most of his 73 years preparing for the role of king, addressed a nation that resented the only British monarch most people alive today had ever known. He takes the throne in an era of unrest for both his country and the monarchy itself.
He spoke of his “deep sorrow” over his mother’s death, calling her “an inspiration and example to me and my whole family.”
“That promise of lifelong service I renew to all of you today,” he said in the 9 1/2-minute speech, recorded earlier in the day and delivered with a framed photo of the queen on a table in front of him.
“As the Queen herself did with such unwavering devotion, I now solemnly pledge myself, for all the remaining time that God gives me, to uphold constitutional principles at the heart of our nation,” he said.
Newspapers covering the death of Queen Elizabeth II are seen in Manchester, England, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch, died Thursday, Sept. 8, at the age of 96. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
The king’s speech was televised and broadcast at St Paul’s Cathedral, where around 2,000 people attended a memorial service for the queen. They included Prime Minister Liz Truss and officials in her government, along with hundreds of members of the public who lined up for tickets.
As the country began a 10-day period of mourning, people around the globe gathered at British embassies to pay tribute to the queen, who died on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after an unprecedented 70 years on the throne.
In London and at military installations across the UK, cannons fired 96 shots in an elaborate 16-minute salute, marking each year of the Queen’s life.
The widespread admiration for Elizabeth in Britain and across her former colonies was occasionally mixed with disdain for the institution and imperial history she symbolized.
Charles, who became monarch shortly after his mother’s death, will be formally crowned king in a ceremony on Saturday. He is expected to tour the UK in the coming days.
The Queen’s coffin will be brought to London, where she will lie in state ahead of a funeral at Westminster Abbey, expected around September 19.
On his first full day of royal duties, Charles left Balmoral and flew to London for a meeting with Truss, scheduled by the Queen just two days before her death.
He arrived at Buckingham Palace, the monarch’s home in London, for the first time as sovereign, stepping out of the official Bentley state limousine alongside Camilla, the Queen’s consort, to shouts of “Well done, Charlie!” from the crowd. and the singing of the national anthem, now called “God Save the King.” A woman gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Under intense scrutiny and pressure to show he can be caring and regal, Charles walked slowly past the flowers piled at the palace gates for his mother. The mood was both mournful and celebratory.
The monarch’s seismic shift comes at a time when many Britons are grappling with an energy crisis, rising living costs, the war in Ukraine and the fallout from Brexit.
In his speech, Charles looked to both the past – noting his mother’s “unwavering dedication and commitment as a sovereign” – and the future, seeking to strike a reassuring note of stability while signaling that he will be a 21st century monarchy.
He reflected on how the country had changed dramatically during the Queen’s reign to a “multi-cultural and multi-faith” society and vowed to serve the people of Britain and the 14 other countries where he is king “however your background or beliefs.”
The lifelong environmentalist said he was confident that work on “issues that I care so deeply about” would “continue in the trusted hands of others.”
He spoke about his son Prince William, now heir to the throne and officially given the long-held title of Prince of Wales. William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, will “continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginalized to center stage where vital help can be delivered,” Charles said, referring to the couple’s work for the homeless. mental health and other issues.
He also struck a note of reconciliation after a bitter family rift when he said: “I also want to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have been in a strained relationship with the royal family since stepping down from their official duties and leaving the country in 2020, citing what they said were intolerable interference and racist attitudes by British media to biracial American. actress.
As the second Elizabethan Era drew to a close, crowds of people arrived throughout the day to mourn together and lay flowers outside the gates of Buckingham Palace and other royal residences.
Exchequer Giles Cudmore said the Queen had “just been constant through everything, through everything good and bad”.
At Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, mourner April Hamilton stood with her young daughter, fighting back tears.
“It’s just such a significant change that’s going to happen,” she said. “I’m trying to keep it together today.”
Many sporting and cultural events were canceled as a mark of respect and some businesses – including Selfridges department store and Legoland theme park – closed their doors. The Bank of England postponed the meeting by a week.
Elizabeth was Britain’s longest-serving monarch and a symbol of resilience in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and turmoil in her family, including the messy divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
The public’s affection for the queen had helped sustain support for the monarchy amid complaints in some quarters that it had outlived its usefulness. But Charles doesn’t have that kind of popularity.
“Charles can never replace him, you know,” said 31-year-old Londoner Mariam Sherwani.
Like many, she referred to Elizabeth as a grandmotherly figure. Others compared her to their mothers or great-grandmothers.
But around the world, her death revealed conflicting emotions about the nation and the institutions she represented.
In Ireland, some soccer fans cheered.
To some, Elizabeth was a queen whose coronation sparkled with shards of a stunning 3,106-carat diamond mined from the bleak mines of South Africa, a monarch who inherited an empire they resented. Across Africa, nations rejected British rule and opted for independence in her first decade on the throne.
In India, once the “jewel in the crown” of the British empire, entrepreneur Dhiren Singh described his personal sadness at her death, but added: “I don’t think we have room for kings and queens in today’s world.”
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By DANICA KIRKA, JILL LAWLESS and SYLVIA HUI The Associated Press
Associated Press writer Cara Anna in Nairobi, Kenya, and AP reporters around the world contributed to this report.
