Live briefing: Charles formally proclaimed king; funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will be Sept. 19

 Live briefing: Charles formally proclaimed king; 

funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will be Sept. 19

By Adela Suliman, Claire Parker, Andrew Jeong and Louisa Loveluck 

Updated September 10, 2022 at 12:04 p.m. EDT|Published September 10, 2022 at 1:00 a.m. EDT

Highlights from King Charles III's proclamation as monarch

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Lawmakers pledged their allegiance to King Charles III, who was proclaimed the new monarch on Sept. 10. The occasion was marked with gun salutes and trumpets. (Video: Alexa Juliana Ard/The Washington Post)

LONDON — King Charles III was officially proclaimed as the new monarch of the United Kingdom on Saturday, after a historic ceremonial body known as the Accession Council met to confirm his succession from his late mother. Although Charles instantly became king after the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, the council — which is made of senior government and church officials — convened at London’s St. James’s Palace and a “principal proclamation” was read from a balcony, an act that will be repeated in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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Chants of “God save the king” rang out, as did gun salutes and trumpets. “I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government,” Charles said before the council. He then returned to Buckingham Palace to meet privately with senior politicians and members of the church.

The United Kingdom is in a period of national mourning for Elizabeth until her state funeral at Westminster Abbey, which will take place on Monday, Sept. 19 and be a national holiday. Crowds continue to gather in front of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Balmoral, the royal family’s Scottish holiday home where she died, as tributes to the country’s longest reigning monarch — acknowledging her legacy, wit and fashion sense — poured in. Members of the royal family attended a private service near Balmoral. Here is the latest.

From left, Britain's Prince William; Camilla, the Queen Consort; and King Charles III, stand before Privy Council members in the Throne Room during the Accession Council at St. James's Palace, London. (Jonathan Brady/Associated Press)

Key developments

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Flags will be flown at full-staff for the next 24 hours in recognition of the new monarch before returning to half-staff for the remainder of the national mourning period.

Prime Minister Liz Truss swore to be “faithful and bear true allegiance” to the new king, as well as his heirs and successors, on the floor of Parliament on Saturday afternoon.

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II will be transported from Balmoral to Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, on Sunday, the royal palace announced. From there, on Tuesday it will be flown to London, where the late queen will lie in state at the Palace of Westminster, the seat of Parliament, for four days. Her funeral will be held on Monday, Sept. 19, at Westminster Abbey. President Biden told reporters that he plans to attend. “I don’t know what the details are yet, but I’ll be going,” he said Friday.

Charles made his first speech to the nation as King on Friday evening, dressed in black and speaking in measured but emotional tones. He thanked his “darling mama” for her love and duty, and pledged to devote his remaining years “to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation.”

King Charles III speaks to the United Kingdom

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King Charles III addressed the United Kingdom in a prerecorded speech for the first time after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in Scotland at age 96. (Video: The Washington Post)

At 10 a.m., the Accession Council gathered at London’s St. James’s Palace, a former residence of English kings and queens. Charles had to “read and sign an oath,” as the new monarch.

At 11 a.m., the Garter King of Arms, an adviser to the sovereign and member of the royal household read the “principal proclamation” marking the accession of a new monarch from a balcony overlooking Friary Court at St. James’s Palace.

At 12 p.m., the proclamation was read at the Royal Exchange in London. In a statement, the Royal Exchange called it a “profound moment in our country’s history.” Further proclamations will be made across the United Kingdom.

At 1 p.m., both houses of the British Parliament met to continue paying public tribute to the late queen. Some senior law makers also swore their oath again to the new monarch. In a day that could end as late as 10 p.m., British lawmakers will also offer a formal message of sympathy to Charles.

From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Charles received a series of official guests at Buckingham Palace, including the prime minister and members of her cabinet, leaders of the opposition political parties and religious figures, such as the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Westminster.

Liz Truss pledges allegiance to King Charles III

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British Prime Minister Liz Truss and lawmakers in the House of Commons swore their allegiance to the new King Charles III on Sept. 10. (Video: Reuters)

Your royal questions, answered

Camilla is now the queen consort. What does that mean? The key difference between the queen and the queen consort is that the queen is an ascendant to the throne through succession. The queen consort is the wife of the reigning monarch.

What does the royal line of succession to the British throne look like? Prince William is now the first in line to inherit the throne, followed by his eldest son, Prince George.

When is King Charles’s coronation? There isn’t a known date for Charles’s coronation, but it’s possible that it may not take place anytime soon. Elizabeth waited 16 months after her accession for her coronation.

Britain has an unproven prime minister and now a new monarch, can its untested leaders confront its problems?

From our correspondents

An American tourist once asked Elizabeth: Have you ever met the queen? A favorite story about the queen’s wicked sense of humor involves the time she happened upon an American tourist hiking near her Balmoral estate in the Scottish highlands. He clearly didn’t recognize her, asking: Had she ever met the queen? “I haven’t,” the queen responded. Then she pointed at her protection officer, Richard Griffin, and said he “meets her regularly.”

The hiker asked Griffin what the queen was like — “Oh, she can be very cantankerous at times, but she’s got a lovely sense of humor,” he replied — and then asked for a photo with the bodyguard, handing the queen a camera. (She happily obliged.)

It was just one of many times the queen showed her wit. The queen could dish out quips and one-liners, London correspondent Karla Adam writes, and even appeared in a comedy skit with James Bond actor Daniel Craig during the 2012 London Olympics and later Britain’s beloved Paddington Bear for her Platinum Jubilee celebration this year. Paddington tweeted this week upon her death: “Thank you Ma’am, for everything.”

More coverage:

What kind of monarch will King Charles III be? Different from his mum, London correspondents William Booth and Karla Adam write. As king, Charles has said he wants to balance tradition and progress. A crusader at heart, Charles has opinions — on climate change, sheep breeds and modern architecture. He may not be able to turn that off.

The late queen loved her corgis. The many corgis owned by Queen Elizabeth II over her seven-decade reign were furry little monarchs in their own right. When she died this week at 96, Elizabeth reportedly left behind two Pembroke Welsh corgis, a corgi-dachshund mix known as a dorgi, and a cocker spaniel. It’s not clear what will happen to the queen’s beloved pets.

For some Irish, the queen’s death is complicated. Irish politicians paid tribute to the late monarch this week, praising her efforts to repair strained ties between Ireland and Britain. But some Irish reactions have spoken to a long, painful history of violent conflict and colonial rule.

It was a rare misstep in the queen’s 70-year reign. But it was a big one. Her son’s glamorous ex-wife, Princess Diana, had died tragically in a car accident, leaving two young boys, the heirs to the throne, without a mother. And for nearly a week, Queen Elizabeth II said nothing. But on the day of the funeral, as Diana’s funeral cortege passed by, she bowed her head.

An American legacy, in photos

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During her seven-decade reign, Queen Elizabeth II visited more than two dozen cities across the United States. She chatted with Girl Scouts, football players, presidents and Frank Sinatra. She cheered on race horses in Kentucky. She requested a ham sandwich with the crust removed in Texas. She sported a tweed skirt-suit in Yosemite National Park. Here’s a look back at the late queen’s steps through the United States.

Park superintendent Bob Binnewies points out highlights from Inspiration Point to Queen Elizabeth II during her visit on March 5, 1983 in Yosemite National Park, in California. (Walt Zeboski/Associated Press)

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