On Friday, Prince Charles delivered his first speech as the monarch of England and the British Commonwealth.
The monarch, 73, said in a pre-recorded message that Queen Elizabeth II was “an inspiration and an example” to him and his family, adding, “I speak to you now with feelings of tremendous grief.”
Charles stated, “We owe her the deepest gratitude any family could owe to their mother for her love, affection, direction, understanding, and example. “Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived; she fulfilled a promise made to her by fate, and her loss is greatly lamented. I reaffirm that vow of lifetime service to everyone now.
The monarch noted that his late mother “made sacrifices out of duty” and lauded her “deep personal dedication, which defined her entire life.”
Her passion and loyalty, he claimed, “never wavered through times of change, through advancement, through moments of joy and celebration and through times of pain and loss.”
After his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away on September 8 at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, King Charles III assumed the new title.
Buckingham Palace tweeted about Her Majesty, who at 70 years on the throne was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, saying “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.”
The King and the Queen Consort will spend this evening and tomorrow in Balmoral before flying back to London.
In a heartfelt message sent on Thursday, Charles responded to the passing of his mother.
In a statement shared on the royal family’s social media pages, it was stated that “the passing of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the deepest sadness for me and all members of my family.”
The statement said, “We mourn deeply the demise of a beloved Mother and a beloved Sovereign. “I am confident that the nation, the Realms, the Commonwealth, and a great number of people all over the world will be devastated by her passing.
“My family and I will be comforted and sustained during this time of loss and change by our knowledge of the respect and profound affection in which The Queen was so widely cherished,” said the author.
As he ascends to the throne, Charles is anticipated to start a tour of the UK in the days before the queen mother’s funeral as part of the country’s 10-step “Operation London Bridge” post-death plan.
The Post was informed by sources back in March that Buckingham Palace was getting ready for his accession.
Around that time, other royals were making preparations for when Charles became king.
Royal expert Joe Little, the managing editor of Majesty magazine, said that since last autumn when the Queen’s health began to fluctuate, “people are a little more focused on the transition.”
With little explanation, “The changeover has been planned in secret for quite some time. In contrast to King George VI, who passed away unexpectedly and without much planning, everything has been carefully planned and choreographed.
Another person who has taken on a new title in Elizabeth’s line of succession is Camilla Parker Bowles. The Queen Consort is the former Duchess of Cornwall.
Parker Bowles, 75, became the Princess of Wales in 2005 after marrying Charles. But out of respect for Charles’ adored late wife, Princess Diana, Bowles never used the title.
Long believed to become Princess Consort when her husband succeeded to the throne, Camilla will now hold the title of Queen Consort, as announced by Queen Elizabeth in February 2022.
She remarked at the time, “I know you will offer my son Charles and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me when, in due time, he becomes king.
“And it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.”
Elizabeth also shared Anne, Princess Royal, 72, the embattled Prince Andrew, 62, and Prince Edward, 58, with husband Prince Philip, who passed away at age 99 in April 2021.