LONDON, Sept 9 (Reuters) – King Charles was greeted by cheering crowds outdoors Buckingham Palace on Friday as he returned to London ahead of a televised address to a nation mourning the loss of life of his mom Queen Elizabeth after seven a long time on the throne.
Charles, who raced to be by the facet of the queen at her Scottish house on Thursday, headed again to London along with his spouse Camilla, now Queen Consort, earlier than a gathering with the prime minister and making a televised assertion at 1700 GMT.
The loss of life of the queen, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a towering presence on the world stage for 70 years, has introduced messages of condolences from around the globe.
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Outside Buckingham Palace in central London, Britain’s new monarch was met with cheers, applause and a crowd singing “God Save The King” as he made his first public look since ascending the throne. learn extra
“I said thank you for coming and I’m so sorry, and he said thank you to me,” mentioned Denise Berriman, one of these the brand new king spoke to throughout his impromptu 10-minute walkabout after stopping his automotive outdoors the palace gates.
“Then I told Camilla to look after Charles, and she said ‘I’ll try’. I was amongst the first people to shake the hand of the King of England. I was two-and-a-half when Elizabeth became queen, and we will never have someone like her again, and I’m 73 now watching her son become king.”
Charles and Camilla then briefly inspected the mass of flowers left outdoors the well-known black railings, earlier than heading into the palace the place the flag of the British sovereign was flown overhead.
Britain had woken up to its first day with no lady as soon as described by her grandson Harry as “the nation’s grandmother”. Billboards throughout town displayed messages of condolence and newspapers ran front-page photograph tributes to the queen.
Buckingham Palace mentioned there can be a interval of mourning to be noticed by members of the household and the royal family till per week after the funeral, the date of which has not but been confirmed however is predicted in about 10 days time.
American broadcaster NBC reported that U.S. President Joe Biden would attend.
Charles will formally be proclaimed king on Saturday at a gathering of the Accession Council held at St James’s Palace adopted by proclamations throughout the nation. learn extra
NATIONAL MOURNING
The authorities has declared a interval of nationwide mourning which might proceed till the state funeral, and a web based book of condolence was opened.
Some individuals shed tears as they laid flowers outdoors royal palaces the place 1000’s turned up throughout the day to pay their respects.
“She was amazing. She was like everyone’s granny,” mentioned Kay McClement, 55, who got here with a pal to depart flowers at Balmoral Castle.
Railway employee Liam Fitzjohn, 27, mentioned he introduced his daughter for a second of historical past. “She’s all we ever knew,” he mentioned.
The authorities mentioned it anticipated giant crowds to mass at royal residences and warned of doable delays on some public transport.
Elizabeth was head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 different realms together with Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
King Charles and Queen Camilla stroll into Buckingham Palace, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain, September 9, 2022. REUTERS/John Sibley
Charles, who mechanically succeeded her as king, mentioned the loss of life was a second of nice unhappiness for himself and his household.
“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” the 73-year-old mentioned in a press release.
He will meet Prime Minister Liz Truss earlier than later addressing the nation.
There have been gun salutes at London’s Hyde Park and on the Tower of London, and the bells at Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s in addition to the Sebastopol Bell at Windsor Castle, captured throughout the nineteenth Century Crimean War, tolled.
Regular enterprise in parliament was changed with a particular session for lawmakers to pay tribute to the queen. Parliament may also convene on Saturday, one thing it hardly ever does, to approve a message of condolence to the king.
“Since last night’s shocking news, we have witnessed the most heartfelt outpouring of grief at the loss of her late majesty, the queen,” Truss advised lawmakers, who held a minute’s silence initially of proceedings.
“Her late majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known. She was the rock on which modern Britain was built,” mentioned Truss, who Elizabeth solely appointed on Tuesday in her final public responsibility – the fifteenth premier of her lengthy reign.
Bereft of its image of continuity and resilience, Britain begins its new period with a brand new king and new prime minister in grave financial disaster and following years of political division.
Long-running industrial motion sparked by surging inflation was cancelled throughout the interval of mourning.
The Bank of England mentioned it could delay its month-to-month assembly to set rates of interest by one week due to the loss of life.
MACRON’S MESSAGE
News that the queen’s well being was deteriorating emerged shortly after noon on Thursday when a palace assertion mentioned she had been put underneath medical supervision, prompting her household to rush to Scotland.
The queen had been affected by what Buckingham Palace had referred to as “episodic mobility problems” for the reason that finish of final yr, forcing her to withdraw from practically all her public engagements. Her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, died in April final yr.
Condolences poured in from leaders around the globe. From the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the European Commission in Brussels flags have been flown at half-mast. Ferdinand Marcos Jr of the Philippines and French President Emmanuel Macron have been amongst these to signal books of condolence. learn extra
“To you, she was your queen. To us, she was the queen. To us all she (will) be with us forever,” Macron mentioned in a heartfelt message to the British individuals.
Elizabeth, who was additionally the world’s oldest and longest-serving head of state, got here to the throne following the loss of life of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was simply 25 and oversaw a seismic change within the social, political and financial construction of her nation.
She gained reward for guiding the monarchy into the twenty first Century and modernising it within the course of, regardless of intense media scrutiny and the customarily extremely public travails of her household. Charles, who polls point out is much less widespread than his mom, now has the duty of securing the establishment’s future.
“His Majesty, King Charles III, bears an awesome responsibility that he now carries for all of us,” Truss advised parliament. “He has already made a profound contribution through his work on conservation, education, and his tireless diplomacy. We owe him our loyalty and devotion.”
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Reporting by Michael Holden, William James, Kate Holton, Humza Jilani, Farouq Suleiman, Muvija M, and Alistair Smout in London and Andrew MacAskill and Gerhard Mey in Balmoral; Editing by Kate Holton and Janet Lawrence
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