This blog is closing now but you can continue to follow our live coverage on this new blog. Thank you for reading.
The Scottish government has said it is expecting very large crowds to gather along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh to witness the Proclamations announcing the accession of Charles III on Sunday. It has advised anyone wishing to attend are advised to allow plenty of time.
The King’s Body Guard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) and the Guard of Honour will march from the Castle Esplanade to the Mercat Cross.
The Lord Lyon King of Arms will then read the Proclamation. This will be followed by a 21 gun salute from Edinburgh Castle.
The procession will then make its way to Edinburgh Castle where The Lord Lyon will read a second Proclamation.
Rebecca Ratcliffe here, taking over from my colleague Tess McClure.
Proclamations in the devolved nations are expected to be made simultaneously at midday in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
PA Media has some further detail on the ceremony that is to be held in Cardiff Castle.
It reports:
Up to 2,000 people will be allowed to attend the event, with spaces inside the grounds available on a first come, first served basis. Gates are expected to open at 10am.
Several main roads through the city centre are due to be closed between 7am and 2pm.
Prior to the Proclamation, 26 men of the 3rd Battalion the Royal Welsh - supported by the Band of the Royal Welsh and accompanied by the regimental mascot, a Welsh billy goat called Shenkin - will march from City Hall at 11.25am along Boulevard de Nantes, North Road and Duke Street to Cardiff Castle.
At the castle, the Wales Herald of Arms Extraordinary, Tom Lloyd, will make the proclamation in English and the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Morfudd Meredith, will proclaim King Charles in Welsh.
After the readings, members of 104th Regiment of the Royal Artillery will fire a 21-gun salute before the singing of God Save The King and Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, Wales’ national anthem.
It will be the third time in three days that canon fire has resounded across the city to mark both the Queen’s death and her son Charles’s accession to the throne.
Flags on the castle and council buildings, which were at half-mast were returned to full-mast on Saturday, to coincide with the Reading of the Principal Proclamation of the new monarch in London.
Flags will return to half-mast at 1pm on Sunday after the Proclamation is read in Cardiff.
The Senedd has also been recalled on Sunday at 3pm to allow members to pay tribute to the Queen. However, all other business has been suspended until after the state funeral.
Summary
Here’s a brief summary of what’s happened in the last few hours, and overnight in the UK:
Timing of the State Funeral for the Queen has been confirmed, and will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19th September. Before then, the Queen will lie in-state in Westminster Hall for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects, the royal family has said.
The Queen’s coffin will on Sunday make its way from Balmoral castle, where she died, to Edinburgh, before flying to London for the state funeral. On its way to Edinburgh, the procession will pass through Aberdeen on Sunday morning, where thousands are expected to turn out and pay their respects.
New Zealand, Australia and Canada all held proclamation ceremonies to recognise King Charles III as their new head of state. The proclamation ceremonies are a constitutional and ceremonial event that formally transition to a new monarch for the countries.
Those country leaders have made tributes to the Queen as they recognised her successor. New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern said the country was “filled with sadness for her passing, but also gratitude for the life she led”. Australian PM Anthony Albanese said the Queen was “admired for her devotion to duty, for her commitment to the people of the United Kingdom, to the people of the Commonwealth including Australia and indeed to the world”.
The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda has said following the Queen’s death he will call for a referendum on the country becoming a republic within three years. The country will retain a British monarch for now, but prime minister Gaston Browne said a referendum would be “the final step to complete that circle of independence, to ensure that we are truly a sovereign nation”.
King Charles III held his first audiences at Buckingham Palace on Saturday afternoon, with Prime Minister Liz Truss, members of her Cabinet and opposition leaders, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury
Liz Truss to accompany King Charles III on tour of Britain. The UK’s new prime minister will accompany King Charles on a royal tour of Britain’s four nations to lead days of national mourning for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Here’s what we know about how the Queen’s funeral procession is expected to progress across Scotland on Sunday morning.
10:00am: The cortege is expected to leave Balmoral Castle, where the Queen died on Thursday. Well-wishers can gather along the route from Balmoral to Edinburgh.
10:12: It will first head to the nearby town on Ballater in Aberdeenshire, then travel along the A93, through Aboyne, Banchory and Drumoak.
11:20: Expected to arrive in Aberdeen, departing at around 11.40
14:00: Arrives in Dundee, and members of the public are invited to pay their respects in safe standing areas along the A90 Forfar Road and Kingsway.
1600: The cortege heads to Edinburgh, taking a route past the Scottish parliament. All the pavements along the route from the north of the city to the Scottish parliament will be lined with barriers to allow public viewing.
From there, the coffin will be taken into the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will remain for the night.
New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has spoken to Liz Truss following the queen’s death. Ardern expressed the ‘great sense of loss felt in New Zealand’ at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her office said, and discussed arrangements for the state funeral and New Zealand’s participation.
Ardern also congratulated Truss on her appointment as Prime Minister, and noted that this is a difficult time to have the “privilege of office” leading the UK through the grief at the loss of the Queen.
A New Zealand government spokesperson also said that cabinet would consider options for a memorial service and public holiday at its meeting tomorrow. Unlike Australia, New Zealand has not yet announced a public holiday to mark the Queen’s passing.
Australia has now officially recognised King Charles as the country’s new monarch and head of state, with the Governor General and Executive Council making their public proclamation at Parliament House, followed by a 21 gun salute. Flags will return to full mast as a sign of celebration of the moment, before being returned to half mast at dusk.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says parliament will sit on Thursday to enable MPs to pay formal tribute to the Queen.
Parliament will sit this Thursday to allow MPs to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In addition, to accommodate Her Majesty’s funeral, the opening of the session will be delayed – by one day – to September 20th. https://t.co/tppHRES8Em
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 11, 2022
The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda has said following the Queen’s death he will call for a referendum on the country becoming a republic within three years, PA reports.
The Caribbean country is one of 14 nations to retain the British monarch as their head of state, with prime minister Gaston Browne signing a document confirming Charles’ status as the new King.
But in the same appearance, Browne said he would push for a republic referendum:
“This is not an act of hostility or any difference between Antigua and Barbuda and the monarchy, but it is the final step to complete that circle of independence, to ensure that we are truly a sovereign nation.
“I’d say probably within the next three years,” he added, when asked for a timeframe on the referendum. Mr Browne had in April called on the Wessexes to use their “diplomatic influence” to achieve “reparatory justice”, and outlined his country’s wish to “one day become a republic”.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese is speaking as the country holds its ceremony to recognise King Charles as its new head of state.
Thank you for being here at what is an extraordinary historical event in the history of our nation. There has been an outpouring of grief on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth was admired for her devotion to duty, for her commitment to the people of the United Kingdom, to the people of the Commonwealth including Australia and indeed to the world.
In Queen Elizabeth’s own words, that grief is the price we pay for love, is I think a fitting statement on how so many Australians are feeling at this time. Today, we mark formally the new head of state in King Charles III and the proclamation – the first in my lifetime and the first in a majority of Australian’s lifetime - is an historic event.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will attend the funeral for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, his office told Reuters on Sunday.
Australian begins proclamation of new king
Australia is formally declaring King Charles III its new head of state.
The ceremony has begun with some brief remarks by governor-general David Hurley, who began by paying tribute to the Queen:
Her example of selfless service, devotion to duty and compassion for others is an enduring legacy and indeed a gift for us all.
He continued with comments on the “weighty responsibility” that faced King Charles as monarch.
And today, this meeting of the federal executive Council will proclaim Charles III as king of Australia. It is a weighty responsibility. Australia is an unfinished product. It is now entering a new era.
New Zealand has concluded its ceremony to recognise King Charles as its new head of state, with two 21-gun salutes. A few hundred people gathered on parliament’s lawns for the event.
Australia is beginning its own ceremony of proclamation now.
In Australia, prime minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to the Queen ahead of the country’s proclamation of the new King, saying he got “to see both sides” of her majesty when he met her at Buckingham Palace during the global finical crisis.
She made sure that she spoke to every person in the room ... and give a bit of herself and that was typical of her commitment to duty and devotion but she was good-humoured. There was a good spirit in the room.
When asked if her death means Australia should move towards a republic, Albanese he says now is not the time to talk about a change in Australia’s system of government.
Now is a time for us to pay tribute to the life of Queen Elizabeth, a life well lived, of dedication and loyalty, including to the Australian people and for us to honour and grieve at the loss, to also, today, we will be, of course, commemorating the proclamation of King Charles III as Australia’s head of state.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern has paid tribute to the Queen’s “unwavering duty” at the country’s ceremony to recognise King Charles III as head of state.
Upon her death we enter a time of change – one filled with sadness for her passing, but also gratitude for the life she led, and the example she set. We are forever grateful for her close bond to our country, but it’s a bond and affection that spans across her entire family.
Ardern said she believed New Zealand’s close connection to the Royal family would continue under the new monarch.
King Charles has long had an affection for Aotearoa New Zealand and has consistently demonstrated his deep care for our nation. This relationship is deeply valued by our people. I have no doubt it will deepen.
New Zealand holds proclamation ceremony to recognise King Charles III as head of state
New Zealand is now beginning its formal ceremony on parliament grounds to recognise the new King as its monarch. The proceedings, led by governer-general Cindy Kiro and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, will begin with the national anthem and a prayer in te reo Māori – the indigenous language. A livestream of the event is here:
In New Zealand, the ceremony to formally proclaim King Charles III the country’s new head of state will begin in a few moments.
The Queen’s coffin will arrive in Aberdeen, Scotland today, as the monarch makes her final, gradual journey from Balmoral, to her state funeral in London. Thousands of Aberdonians are expected to line city streets to pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen as she makes her final journey south.
Aberdeen City council has announced a number of road closures to allow residents to witness the coffin as it passes through the city at around 11am, en route to Edinburgh. From Edinburgh, the Queen will be flown to London.
Canada officially proclaims King Charles III as head of state
King Charles III has been officially proclaimed Canada’s monarch Saturday in a ceremony in Ottawa. Associated Press reports:
Charles automatically became king when Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday. But like the ceremony in the United Kingdom hours earlier, the accession ceremony in Canada is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.
Charles is now is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.
“Canada has enjoyed a long history and a close friendship with His Majesty King Charles III, who has visited our country many times over the years,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, we affirm our loyalty to Canada’s new King, His Majesty King Charles III, and offer him our full support.”
French prime minister Emmanuel Macron has shared his condolences with UK counterpart Liz Truss via Twitter, emphasising his hope to strengthen ties between France and the UK, and work together on issues including food and energy security, and the war on Ukraine.
Today, on such a special day, I extended our condolences to the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister. The ties between our nations are historic. We shall strengthen them. Our support for Ukraine, as well as food and energy security, will be among our shared priorities.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) September 10, 2022
I’m Tess McClure, and will be managing the liveblog through the rest of the UK night. We’re expecting coverage in the coming hours of proclamation ceremonies in New Zealand and Australia - the two commonwealth countries will be officially proclaiming King Charles III as their head of state. At around noon on Sunday, we’re also expecting simultaneous proclamations to be made in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has announced the country will hold a public holiday on September 22, as a national day of mourning for the Queen.
On September 22 there will be a public holiday for the National Day of Mourning for Her Majesty The Queen.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) September 10, 2022
In Australia, the governor general, David Hurley, will officially proclaim King Charles III as the country’s new head of state.
Hurley will make the pronouncement at a special meeting of the Federal Executive Council at Government House at 11am local time on Sunday, the first time a proclamation has been read at the current Parliament house.
A public ceremony will also be held outside Parliament House in Sydney.
King Charles III’s proclamation ceremony will be taking place in Wellington, New Zealand, at 12.30pm local time.
A day of ceremony and history in the making had one unforeseen moment for the new King – when he found an item on a table stopping him from signing documents.
Charles is known to carry his own fountain pen for when he is frequently called on to sign visitors’ books during royal visits.
So when he sat down during his first privy council meeting to sign documents, he gestured for an ornate pen holder to be taken away by an aide.
Later it was back in place, after privy councillors used its pens to sign documents, but King Charles once again took offence to the item, when called upon to give his signature, and pulled a face before it was removed again.
Updated
Sir Tony Blair, the former UK prime minister, believes King Charles III is well prepared for what lay ahead.
Writing in The Sunday Times, he said: “I feel for King Charles at this moment of heavy responsibility. But I also believe in him.
“Reinforced by his mother’s example, his attachment to duty is clear. He is an intelligent, caring and good man. His sense of service to his people and his love for them will be as profound as hers.
“Do not imagine for an instant that in the long years past he has not watched, absorbed and thought about what it means to be king. He is well prepared and, I have no doubt, resilient for the task ahead.”
Updated
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children Archie and Lili remain master and miss on the royal website rather than prince and princess, but King Charles III’s spokesperson pledged to update it “as and when we get information”.
While William’s title in the line of succession as the Prince of Wales has been swiftly added with his children now listed as “of Wales”, Archie and Lili’s had not changed on Saturday.
They are technically now a prince and a princess because their grandfather has become King, but it has not been confirmed by their parents or Buckingham Palace whether they will use the titles.
The King’s spokesperson said the monarch had announced William and Kate’s titles as the Prince and Princess of Wales, and expressed his love for Harry and Meghan in his address to the nation on Friday.
“While the website was updated for the Waleses, clearly updating love on a website doesn’t quite work so we’ve not quite done that but clearly he does love them. We will be working through updating the website as and when we get information,” he said on Saturday.
Asked whether Archie and Lili would take the titles of prince and princess, he said: “At the moment, we’re focused on the next 10 days and as and when we get information, we will update that website.”
Updated
David Cameron, the UK’s former prime minister, believes King Charles will become a “brilliant” monarch after serving the “longest apprenticeship in history”.
He disclosed that when he was in office, he had audiences with the then Prince of Wales so the royal could prepare for the day when, as sovereign, he was holding weekly meetings with the premier.
“I had audiences with Prince Charles when Queen Elizabeth II was on the throne because he wanted to start thinking about how to conduct those audiences,” Cameron told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.
“From what I saw he will be brilliant at that job. Brilliant at listening, brilliant at asking questions, giving wise advice and sage counsel. This has probably been the longest apprenticeship in history.”
Cameron added: “I saw him in action at Commonwealth heads of government meetings and he knows everybody personally, he interacts with them brilliantly.
“The soft power that the British monarch brings to help a prime minister and a government with all those international relations, it was obviously outstanding under Queen Elizabeth II.
“I think you will see Charles III will be a very worthy successor in that regard.”
Updated
The late Queen lies in an oak coffin in a “scene of quiet dignity” in the Ballroom of Balmoral Castle.
Draped with the Royal Standard for Scotland and with a wreath of flowers on top, it has remained at rest to allow loyal Balmoral estate workers, who devoted years of service to the monarch, to pay their last respects.
It will be lifted into a hearse on Sunday at 10am by six of the estate’s gamekeepers, who have been tasked with the symbolic gesture, ready for a six-hour journey to Edinburgh.
A Palace spokeswoman said: “It is obviously people who have known Her Majesty well and it’s a personal connection.”
The arrangements at Balmoral are being overseen by Richard Gledson, factor of the Balmoral Estate, with the Reverend Kenneth MacKenzie, minister of Crathie Church, in attendance.
Mourners will be able to view the Queen’s coffin from 5pm on Monday, City of Edinburgh Council has said.
The late monarch will lie in state at St Giles’ Cathedral on Edinburgh’s High Street for 24 hours and members of the royal family, including the King, will stand beside the coffin from 7.20pm in a tradition known as the Vigil of the Princes.
The Princess Royal will accompany the Queen’s body back to London on 13 September.
Updated
King Charles III spent two terms at Geelong Grammar’s Timbertop campus in Australia where he was embraced by students as one of their own.
A nice anecdote from the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, speaking in Parliament today about the time when he “healed” the Queen’s Bentley after it refused to start.
He said on one occasion he performed “a large sign of the cross” over the Queen’s Bentley after the driver was unable to start it.
“I had preached in Sandringham parish church. We were standing outside. The Bentley was there to get the Queen, the Bentley didn’t start,” he said.
“It made that throaty noise that cars make in the middle of winter when they are not going to start.
“Everybody stands there doing nothing. I am expecting a policeman to intervene. Nothing happens.
“Enjoying the theatre of the moment, I step forward and made a large sign of the cross over the Queen’s car to the enjoyment of the crowd. There were hundreds of people there – it was the Queen.
“I see the Queen out the corner of my eye looking rather stony-faced at this point and I think perhaps I’ve over-stepped the mark.
“Anyway, the driver tries the car again and, praise the Lord, the car started.
“The Queen gets in and goes back to Sandringham. I follow in another car.
“When I arrive at Sandringham as I come into lunch, the Queen with a beaming smile says, ‘Ah, bishop. It’s the bishop. He healed my car’.”
The cleric added: “Two years later when I was greeting her at the west front of Chelmsford Cathedral just as a very grand service was about to start, she took me to one side and said, ‘Bishop, nice to see you again. I think the car’s all right today, but if I have any problems I will know where to come.’”
Updated
The front page of Sunday’s Observer newspaper.
Sunday’s Observer #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/t9ixDisriO
— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) September 10, 2022
Updated
MPs have wrapped up two days of tributes to the late Queen in the House of Commons.
Closing the second day, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt said: “Our great Queen has entrusted us all with a living legacy of triumph over tribulation, of cheerfulness over challenge, of dedication and determination.
“She has left us. Her values remain with us. Her example compels us to continued fidelity to our King and our country. God save the King.”
A humble address conveying “deep sympathy” to the King and his family for their loss was agreed unanimously. It also paid tribute to the Queen for her “unstinting dedication”, and expressed the House’s “loyalty” to the King.
“This has been an amazing tribute,” Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said, adding “when the House comes together it comes together in a very special way, and there has been none more special than these last two days.”
A total of 321 contributions were made over both days.
Updated
Camilla as 'the Queen', a question for the future, King's spokesperson says
The question of whether the royal households will ever refer to Camilla as “the Queen” rather than “Queen Consort” could be contemplated in future, the King’s spokesperson has said.
Camilla is technically Her Majesty the Queen as the wife of the King, but in their briefings and statements Buckingham Palace has so far referred to her as Queen Consort.
Asked if Camilla would always be known as Queen Consort, a spokesperson for the King did not rule out a shift. He added, however, that the pair were concentrating on the events of the next week and a half.
“The King and Queen Consort are focused on getting through those next 10 days,” he said.
“I think those who saw the Queen Consort yesterday movingly meeting people outside Buckingham Palace know how moved she is at the moment and that’s her focus so that will be a question for the future.”
Updated
Details of the route the Queen’s coffin will take from Balmoral to Edinburgh have been revealed.
The cortege is expected to leave the castle on Royal Deeside – where the Queen died on Thursday – at 10am on Sunday morning.
Well-wishers are expected to gather along the route the cortege will take as it travels from Balmoral to the Scottish capital.
It will first head to the nearby town on Ballater, where it is expected at approximately 10.12am.
It is then expected to arrive in Aberdeen about an hour later, with tributes expected to be paid in the city’s Duthie Park.
Travelling south along the A90, it will then arrive in Dundee at about 2pm.
In Edinburgh, first minister, Nicola Sturgeon and other party leaders in Scotland are expected to observe the coffin as it goes past the Scottish parliament.
From there it will be taken into the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will remain in the Throne Room until Monday afternoon.
It will then travel in a procession to St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, along the Royal Mile with the King and the late Queen’s other children; the Princess Royal; the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex following behind on foot, along with Anne’s husband, V Adm Sir Tim Laurence.
Camilla, now Queen Consort, and the Countess of Wessex will follow by car and also attend the service in St Giles’.
Updated
Liz Truss will join the King as he leads “services of reflection” around the United Kingdom, Downing Street said.
“The prime minister believes it is important to be present for what will be a significant moment of national mourning around the United Kingdom,” the spokesman said.
Updated
Liz Truss to accompany King Charles III on tour of Britain
The UK’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, will accompany King Charles on a royal tour of Britain’s four nations to lead days of national mourning for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The prime minister’s spokesman said: “In terms of the prime minister’s involvement, she will join the King as he leads the national mourning across the United Kingdom, attending services of reflection in Scotland on Monday afternoon, in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, and Wales on Friday.”
Updated
The King and Queen Consort are to visit Wales next week, marking their first official visit to the nation since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
King Charles and Camilla will travel to Cardiff on Friday, having already attended ceremonies in Belfast and Edinburgh.
While in the Welsh capital for the accession visit, the couple will take part in a service at Llandaff Cathedral alongside senior faith leaders from communities across the city.
They will then head to the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, to receive a Motion of Condolence.
This will be followed by a reception at Cardiff Castle where the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, and the Speaker of the Senedd, Elin Jones, will have a private audience with the King.
The King and Queen will then meet members of the public who have gathered inside the castle grounds.
Updated
The Queen’s face “lit up with a big smile” when an MP said his constituency was where the BBC’s Last Of The Summer Wine was filmed, the House of Commons heard.
Conservative MP Jason McCartney spoke about when he was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen, telling the Commons: “She was asking me about my constituency and I told her that the market town of Holmfirth is in my patch.
“I said ‘Your Majesty it is where they film Last Of The Summer Wine on BBC One’ and her face lit up with a big smile.
“I don’t know whether she watched it or not, but to this day, I have this lovely image that on a Sunday tea time after a busy week she would sit down in an armchair, put on BBC One, and enjoy the gentle antics of Nora Batty, Compo and Cleggy - not that Cleggy - and relax.”
McCartney looked across to the opposition benches as he referred to “Cleggy”, distinguishing the character of Norman Clegg from former Lib Dem leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.
Thousands of mourners lined the streets outside Buckingham Palace on Saturday, where they paid respects to the Queen and hoped to catch a glimpse of King Charles III.
The well-wishers brought with them a colourful array of flowers, notes and tributes as they packed the Mall. By midday, the area surrounding the palace was close to full.
Here is King Charles III’s itinerary over the next few days.
Sunday 11th September: The King will meet the Commonwealth Secretary General at Buckingham Palace. The King will then host Realm High Commissioners and their spouses in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace.
Monday 12th September: The King and The Queen Consort will travel to Westminster Hall where both Houses of Parliament will meet to express their condolences at the demise of The Queen. The King will make his reply.
The King and The Queen Consort will then travel to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The King will inspect the Guard of Honour. The Ceremony of the Keys on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse will follow.
The King will then attend a Service of Prayer and reflection for the life of Her Majesty The Queen at St Giles’ Cathedral, before returning to Holyrood.
At the Palace, The King will have an audience with the First Minister, followed by an audience with the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
The King and The Queen Consort will then attend the Scottish Parliament to receive a Motion of Condolence. The King will make his reply.
Tuesday 13th September: The King and The Queen Consort will travel by air to Belfast and then to Hillsborough Castle. They will view an exhibition on Her Majesty The Queen’s long association with Northern Ireland.
The King will then meet the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and party leaders and receive a message of condolence led by the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The King will make his reply.
After a short reception at Hillsborough, The King and The Queen Consort will travel to St Anne’s Cathedral for a service of Prayer and reflection. Before the service, His Majesty will meet leaders from all the major faiths in Northern Ireland.
Wednesday 14th September: The King will lead the procession behind the Gun Carriage carrying Her Majesty’s Coffin to Westminster Hall, where the Lying in State will begin.
Friday 16th September: The King and The Queen Consort will visit Wales. Further details of this visit will follow in due course.
The Liberal Democrats have cancelled their autumn conference and postponed major debates until spring following the Queen’s death.
Nick da Costa, who chairs the party’s federal conference committee, said the Lib Dems “want and need to show our respect to the Queen and the period of national mourning”.
The conference in Brighton, England, was due to begin on September 17 and run until September 20. The Queen’s funeral will be on September 19.
One of the most poignant moments of today has been The Prince and Princess of Wales being unexpectedly joined by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on a walkabout at Windsor Castle as their first engagement under their new titles.
The couples were in public together for the first time since Commonwealth Day on March 9 2020, as they inspected flowers and balloons before a walkabout to speak to wellwishers, who handed them several bouqets of flowers.
A spokesperson said the new Prince of Wales asked his brother and his wife to join them in viewing the tributes.
The last time Prince William was joined in public by his brother at Windsor Castle was at the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh in April last year.
After spending more than 40 minutes greeting crowds of well-wishers and reading tributes, the royals entered the same vehicle and were driven away.
King Charles III has now left Buckingham Palace after meeting Cabinet members earlier today.
The King was being driven in a black Rolls-Royce. Beside him was his Principal Private Secretary, Clive Alderton.
Updated
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have finished their walkabout outside Windsor Castle, leaving in the same vehicle.
The group spent more than 40 minutes speaking to members of the public where they received flowers, gifts and hugs from well-wishers.
Labour party officials have confirmed that its autumn conference will go ahead this year.
It is due to take place from the weekend following the Queen’s funeral on September 19.
The party will be including tributes to the Queen at the gathering.
Updated
A spokesman for Prince William said he invited his brother, the Duke of Sussex, and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, to join him and the Princess of Wales to look at the tributes and flowers left outside Windsor Castle, Reuters reports.
Here is the full story on The Queen’s funeral to be held on Monday 19 September to mark the end of an official 10-day period of mourning.
The Prince and Princess of Wales along with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been spending several minutes speaking to well-wishers after arriving in Windsor.
They were handed several bouquets of flowers from people.
It is understood to be the first time both couples have been seen in public together since Commonwealth Day on March 9 2020.
Westminster Abbey said it would be closed for visiting and worshipping while preparing for the Queen’s funeral on 19 September.
Announcing the news on Twitter, a statement read: “Buckingham Palace has announced that the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will be held at Westminster Abbey at 11am on Monday 19 September.
“As a royal church, the Abbey had a special relationship with the Queen. It was here that she married Prince Philip in November 1947, and her coronation was held in the Abbey in June 1953.
“The Abbey will be closed for visiting and worshipping from Monday (12 September) as we prepare for the state funeral, which will be broadcast live on television, radio and online.”
Updated
Updated
Updated
Preparations for the Queen’s cortege travelling by road from Balmoral on Sunday surpass the level of preparation that went into the Cop26 summmit, transport bosses said.
Traffic Scotland operation manager, Stein Connelly said events across Scotland on Sunday as the Queen’s cortege makes its’ way from Balmoral in Aberdeenshire to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh are on an “unprecedented scale”.
Connelly said: “First and foremost I would like to express our deepest condolences on behalf of everyone at Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland to the Royal Family.
“Many of us had the pleasure of meeting Her Majesty at the Queensferry Crossing opening and new Borders Railways events and we were always impressed with her knowledge and kind manner.
“This is an event of unprecedented scale. Even the recent Cop26 gathering in Glasgow cannot match the amount of preparation and planning that has gone into this operation.”
Prince and Princess of Wales and Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive in Windsor
William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived in Windsor – alongside Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The two couples arrived at Cambridge Gate and are now at the public part of the park to read the floral tributes.
Updated
On the morning of Monday 19 September, the lying-in-state will end and the coffin will be taken in procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey, where the state funeral service will take place.
Following the state funeral, the coffin will travel in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch.
From Wellington Arch, the coffin will travel to Windsor and once there, the state hearse will travel in procession to St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle via the Long Walk.
A committal service will then take place in St George’s Chapel.
Updated
On Wednesday 14 September, the Imperial State Crown and a wreath of flowers will be placed on top of the coffin.
At 2.22pm it will be taken in procession by gun carriage from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster with King Charles, members of the royal family and staff from the royal household walking behind.
The coffin will arrive at the Palace of Westminster at 3pm where the Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a short service.
The lying in state will begin afterwards during which members of the public will be able to file past and pay their respects at Westminster Hall.
Updated
On Tuesday 13 September at 5pm, a hearse will take the Queen’s coffin to Edinburgh airport.
The Princess Royal will fly with the coffin for the 55-minute flight to RAF Northolt.
Guards of honour will salute the departure from Scotland and the arrival in England.
The state hearse will take the Queen’s coffin to Buckingham Palace, where it will be placed in the centre of the ballroom to give members of the royal household the chance to pay their respects.
King Charles III and the Queen Consort along with other members of the royal family will attended and prayers will be conducted.
Updated
On Monday, King Charles III and the Queen Consort will travel to Edinburgh to join a procession from Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral.
The procession will leave at 2.35pm with the King and some members of the royal family following on foot.
At 2.55pm, the coffin will be carried into the cathedral with the Crown of Scotland on top.
The coffin will rest in the cathedral and members of the public can pay their respects.
At 7.20pm, the King and other members of the royal family will mount a vigil.
A spokesman for the King said the monarch’s main focus will be leading the royal family and nation in mourning over the coming days.
“Whilst, in the next few days, the King will carry out all the necessary state duties, his main focus will be leading the royal family, the nation, the Realms and the Commonwealth in mourning Her Majesty the Queen. This will include meeting members of the public, to share in their grief.”
Updated
Queen's body will lie in state for four days
The Queen will lie in state for “four clear days” in Westminster Hall from Wednesday 14 September, a senior palace official said.
Updated
The Queen’s coffin - which is currently lying in the Ballroom at Balmoral Castle - will be taken by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Sunday on a six-hour journey by hearse.
The coffin will rest in the Throne Room to allow staff at the palace to pay their respects.
Updated
Queen's funeral to be held on 19 September at Westminster Abbey
The Queen’s state funeral will take place on Monday 19 September at 11am at Westminster Abbey in London.
The day has been made a public bank holiday.
Updated
Updated
Prince of Wales speaks of impact of his grandmother's 'wisdom and support'
In a statement, Prince William has spoken about his loss and the impact that the Queen has had on him, his wife and his children.
The Prince of Wales said:
On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute.
“So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign.
“I, however, have lost a grandmother. And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful.
“I have had the benefit of the Queen’s wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade.
“My wife has had 20 years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives.”
In his first public statement since the Queen died on Thursday evening aged 96, he added: “She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life.
“I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.
“I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me.
“And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all.
“My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love.
“All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen.
“I will honour her memory by supporting my father, the King, in every way I can.”
Updated
The UK’s cabinet had an audience with King Charles after he was formally proclaimed monarch in succession to the late Queen.
The prime minister, Liz Truss, took her senior ministers to Buckingham Palace to be received by the sovereign for the first time.
The King spent time talking to the new foreign secretary, James Cleverly, and the defence secretary, Ben Wallace.
He was introduced to ministers by Truss as they lined up inside the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace.
Earlier members of the cabinet were present for the formalities of the accession council at St James’s Palace, televised for the first time.
Camilla was also present at the audiences on Saturday afternoon and chatted to cabinet members including the leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, who oversaw the accession council in her role as lord president of the council.
Following the cabinet audiences, the King spent time meeting the leaders of opposition parties, including the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer.
Updated
The first Humble Address to His Majesty in 70 years.
The first Humble Address to His Majesty in 70 years. pic.twitter.com/eVcmIX7UkJ
— PARLY (@PARLYapp) September 10, 2022
Updated
Crossbench peer Lord Sentamu recalled the comfort the Queen brought through prayers over a matter causing him “great, great heartache”.
He said: “So I knelt down, put my hands together and she put hers outside mine and there was this deep moment of silence and I think it lasted about two to three minutes, it was ended by Her Majesty saying ‘Amen’.
“I got up and friends, whatever the burdens I had come with, they were lifted. It was as if I was with my grandmother who [had] a similar effect on me.
“Now if you want to know more, you’ve got to wait until my autobiography is published next year.”
Updated
UK retailer John Lewis said all its department stores and Waitrose shops will close on the day of the Queen’s funeral, although a limited number of Waitrose outlets on the yet-to-be confirmed route of the funeral may stay open to serve members of the public in attendance.
Andrew Murphy, chief operating officer of the John Lewis Partnership said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
“We are closing our stores on the day of her funeral as a mark of respect, and because we believe this is the right thing to do for our Partners and customers.”
Members of the royal family went on a walkabout earlier to see floral tributes and messages left by members of the public after the death of the Queen.
They had attended a church service at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral, before walking back and speaking to wellwishers. Two of the Queen’s sons, princes Andrew and Edward, along with Anne, Princess Royal, were there with their children.
Prince Andrew could be seen crouching down and reading a note that had been left, and later giving his daughter Princess Eugenie a hug as she wiped a tear from her face (more at 14:24).
Updated
The proclamation has been read in Ottawa, Canada, as it starts to make its way across the Commonwealth.
King Charles III will become Canada’s head of state. The prime minister, Justin Trudeau, met with his federal cabinet and privy council ahead of the announcement.
Dr Samy Khalid read the proclamation, and stood alongside Trudeau, his son Hadrien and governor general Mary Simon outside Rideau Hall.
Donald Trump calls meeting the Queen 'most extraordinary honor'
Former US president Donald Trump has paid tribute to the Queen, calling the time he met her “the most extraordinary honor” of his life.
In a departure from his usual short, snappy missives that he is known for on the internet, he has written for the Mail Online. The 45th president met the Queen during a state visit in June 2019. He attended a state banquet, and visited Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
He said: “Spending time with Her Majesty was one of the most extraordinary honors of my life.
“I grew up in a household where Queen Elizabeth – her grace, her charm, her nobility – were deeply admired, especially by my mother, who came from Scotland.
“The times we spent with the Queen at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are memories Melania and I will cherish for the rest of our lives.
“Her Majesty had a sharp mind, missed nothing, and always knew exactly what to say.
“At our unforgettable state dinner three years ago, we got along wonderfully, talking the whole evening.”
Updated
As Charles becomes King and Prince William steps in to his father’s shoes, many will be interested to see how he approaches the role. It’s not just taking on some of Charles’s causes, as he outlined in a speech on Friday evening, it could also be that he is more likely to be more hands on and media friendly.
William will be a less formal, more tactile and more media-savvy Prince of Wales than his father – and he will continue to be a “hands-on father”. These are the predictions of a number of royal correspondents who have spent years observing the new Duke of Cornwall.
He will be able to connect better with younger generations and will carry out his duties as heir-apparent in a more relaxed way than Charles, while simultaneously taking a financially responsible and more circumspect approach to his role, they say.
“There have been quite a lot of question marks over the way Charles’s charities operate and where the money comes from,” said Nicholas Owen, a former ITN royal correspondent. “I think William is less likely to go along easily with people saying: ‘Oh, everything’s all right, sir, no, leave it with me, that will be fine’.”
Updated
The prime minister, Liz Truss, has spoken to both the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, and the New Zealand PM, Jacinda Ardern, today, after both sent their condolences after the Queen’s death.
Modi said his heartfelt condolences were “on the behalf of 1.3 billion Indians”, and Ardern spoke of her fondness for Her Majesty.
Updated
Charles and Camilla meet the archbishop of Canterbury
King Charles III has started an afternoon of meetings, including with the archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, with whom he could be seen sharing a joke.
The new King takes up a position as head of the Church of England, with Welby his most senior archbishop. Some churches have been ringing their bells after the council of accession on Saturday lunchtime, and many have opened books of condolence. Weekly services on Sunday will hear prayers for King Charles’s reign, as well as those reflecting on the life of the Queen.
During his council of accession he also promised to uphold the security of the Church of Scotland.
Other meetings on Saturday include with the UK prime minister, Liz Truss, and leader of the Labour party, Sir Keir Starmer.
Updated
Clive James was one of the best known journalists in Britain until his death in 2019, highly regarded for his wit and intellect, and he spent many years writing for the Observer.
In 1983 he covered the Queen’s visit to the US, where she met Ronald Reagan. Here’s his article from the time.
The Royal Scuba Tour of California began last Saturday with scarcely any rain at all. The clouds over San Diego were full of water, but none of it was actually falling out of the sky as the Britannia edged towards Broadway Pier on the Embarcadero, just along from Anthony’s Fish Grotto.
The area was heavily populated with members of the secret service wearing hearing aids and talking into their sleeves. Less numerous but more cheerful were the citizens of San Diego, some of whom were allowed on to the pier itself, at the end of which is an honour guard of sailors and marines who drilled with M14s, while E-9 Master Chief Dye conducted the orchestra and frogmen checked for bombs.
As things were to turn out, the frogmen were the only people appropriately dressed for the upcoming week of official events, but as yet nobody knew that. The American media were in position and fully equipped, with Canon telephoto lenses the size of garbage disposal; units and microwave dishes aimed at their very own relay helicopters, which were up there in the grey sky like benign vultures.
You can read more by clicking here.
Updated
In pictures: Queen's family outside Balmoral
Updated
Royal family meets wellwishers outside Balmoral
Members of the Royal family have left Crathie Kirk near Balmoral after a service to meet members of the public.
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, was seen speaking to crowds, as did Princess Anne, the Princess Royal who was walking alongside her husband, V Adm Timothy Laurence.
Anne’s children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, were seen looking at floral tributes.
Prince Andrew put his glasses on before bending down to read some of the messages that had been left. He then moved across and put his arm around his daughter, Princess Eugenie, who could be seen drying her eyes and hugging her father while looking at the flowers.
“We’ve been allowed one day, now we start the process of handing her on,” Prince Andrew told the public, according to PA Media.
After moments reading the cards and memorials that had been left, the dozen-or-so members of the family paused in the gateway of Balmoral and turned to wave and thank the crowds who had gathered behind barriers.
• This post was amended on 11 September 2022. Princess Anne’s husband is a vice admiral, not a commander as previously stated.
Updated
The Labour and Conservative party conferences later this and next month are expected to go ahead, it is understood, although the annual gathering of the Liberal Democrats could be in peril, one day of it coincides with the expected date of the Queen’s funeral.
The Lib Dems are scheduled to gather for their first fully in-person conference since before Covid from next weekend, going on till Tuesday 20 September. But with the official mourning period lasting until the likely funeral date, on Monday 19 September, the bulk of it will have to be postponed or moved.
A party source said: “We will not hold any part of our conference before or during the funeral.”
However, both the Labour and Conservative conferences are expected to take place, although both events will be amended to reflect the death of the Queen.
The Labour conference takes place in Liverpool from Sunday 25 September to Wednesday 28 September. The Conservative event, in Birmingham, starts on Sunday 2 October, also running to the next Wednesday.
The SNP conference a week after the Tories’, while the Greens meet from 30 September, so neither should be affected.
The Commons is scheduled to be in recess from 22 September to 17 October. But with the chamber due to be adjourned following tributes this weekend until after the funeral, this could potentially be changed to allow MPs to debate urgent issues including the energy cost crisis.
Updated
Royal Mail has said it will stop its services on the day of the Queen’s funeral.
The date is yet to be confirmed, but earlier on Saturday the new King approved an order to make it a bank holiday.
In a statement, Royal Mail’s chief executive, Simon Thompson, said: “We are proud that over the coming days Royal Mail will play an important role delivering messages of condolence from all around the world to the royal family.
“We want to make our customers aware that services will be suspended on the day of the funeral as people come together to honour Her Majesty, after 70 years of exemplary service to the nation and the Commonwealth.”
The relationship between the monarch and postal service has been in place for more than 500 years, since King Henry VIII appointed the first postmaster.
Updated
The former president of France François Hollande has paid tribute to the Queen and revealed that she once asked for the Republican Guards to play the Beatles at a state occasion.
Hollande hosted Queen Elizabeth in June 2014 for a three-day state visit that marked the 70th anniversary commemorations of the allied D-Day landings in the second world war.
“She talked about being a friend of France and her taste for French culture and generally for the arts,” Hollande, who was president until 2017, said.
“At one point, the Republican Guard was playing some classical music and I asked her what she would like and she said: can they play the Beatles? So the orchestra played several songs by the Beatles,” Hollande told Reuters, referring to the military unit which provides guards of honour at official ceremonies.
Updated
Queen's family attends church service near Balmoral
Members of the Royal family have left Balmoral to attend a prayer service at nearby Crathie Kirk.
The Queen was a regular at the small church during her stays in Balmoral. Three of the Queen’s four children, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward have been at Balmoral since Thursday.
Members of the royal family drive to #CrathieKirk for a private service, past well-wishers outside #Balmoral #Queen pic.twitter.com/wpfqAkBrNC
— Severin Carrell (@severincarrell) September 10, 2022
Updated
In the tumult of reaction to news of the Queen’s death, social media managers struggled to work out the best way to communicate to their customers. Reporter James Tapper has taken a look at the brands that got it right – and those who didn’t.
Updated
Members of the royal family still at Balmoral Castle are expected to attend a church service this afternoon at nearby Crathie Kirk.
The BBC reports that among those still at Balmoral, where the Queen’s body remains, are Princess Anne and her husband, Tim Lawrence, Prince Andrew; the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and some of the Queen’s grandchildren: Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and Lady Louise Windsor.
Updated
During the accession council ceremony at St James’s Palace on Saturday morning, Prince William was seen signing the proclamation documents using his left hand, causing quite a stir on social media. Within the royal family, there are quite a few left-handers. Queen Victoria and the Queen’s father, former king George VI were left-handed, as is Prince Edward’s wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and, allegedly, Prince George.
Updated
Lisa O’Carroll is at Buckingham Palace today. She gives us a sense of the atmosphere there as crowds gather:
People have queued quietly in their thousands all day on the approach roads to Buckingham palace – some bearing flowers, some wearing union jacks. Children, adults, tourists, all wanting to get close to a bit of royal history.
Along Horse Guards Parade, a hint of the funeral pageantry to come over the next eight days. Barricades were being stacked discreetly on the pavements, articulated trucks carrying seating make their way towards Piccadilly.
It feels as though the volume of visitors is overwhelming the stewards, comprised of police and volunteer forces. Pinch points have formed at ancient narrow passages around Clarence House through the back routes local people believed would help them beat the queues entering St James’s Park and Green Park. All to no avail.
A rather concerning sign of the momentous week to come, when crowds will have to be managed carefully.
Updated
A Buckingham Palace press release entitled Accession Council and Principal Proclamation includes an interesting final detail:
In recognition of the new sovereign, flags will be flown at full-mast from the time of the time of the principal proclamation at St James’s Palace until one hour after the proclamations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, after which flags will return to half-mast in mourning for the death of Her Majesty the Queen.
Updated
MPs begin to swear oaths to King
Liz Truss has been among MPs to formally re-take their parliamentary oaths to the new King. A small number of senior MPs were doing this, with others having a chance to do so when the Commons resumes after the Queen’s funeral.
There is no necessity for MPs to do this, as the oath they take on entering parliament pledges that they “will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law”.
The first MP to do so was the Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, followed by the two longest-serving MPs, Peter Bottomley and Harriet Harman, then Truss, and then the Commons leader, Penny Mordaunt. Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, and Iain Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, also did this.
The chamber was then due to hear more MPs’ tributes to the Queen, up to 10pm.
The wording was set out in the Promissory Oaths Act of 1868, with a more recent law, the 1978 Oaths Act, setting out the formality, such as arrangements for people of faith other than Christianity, and the option of affirmation for those who are not religious.
However, it is mandatory for MPs to swear allegiance to the monarch in order to sit in the Commons. This is why Sinn Féin MPs are absent, as they do not recognise the UK monarch as the head of state.
Updated
King Charles arrives back at Buckingham Palace after proclamation
Crowds cheered at Buckingham Palace as King Charles arrived back in his Rolls Royce.
He had been at St James’s Palace for the principal proclamation at 10am.
The monarch could be seen smiling and waving back at well-wishers who had arrived hoping to catch a glimpse of the new King.
Updated
Updated
While all football fixtures are off in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland this weekend, other sporting matches have gone ahead.
In the cricket, tributes were paid to the Queen during day three of the third test between England and South Africa at the Oval.
Premiership rugby union matches will also go ahead on Saturday.
Second proclamation takes place
The fanfare sounds, and is followed by a call for silence.
Tim Duke then reads the proclamation, which is the same wording as one delivered by David White an hour ago, at Friary Court. The wording can be found here (11:04).
It is followed by a shout of “God Save the King”, a fanfare, and then the first verse of the national anthem is played. Three cheers are given for His Majesty, before crowds applaud.
The Guardian’s royal reporter Caroline Davies has this dispatch: “At The Royal Exchange in the City, the reading aloud of the proclamation at noon was preceded by the pomp and pageantry of a grand ceremonial procession through the economic heart of the nation, reflecting the unique relationship between the monarch and the City of London.
“This was the second proclamation. Other proclamations will follow in coming days in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
Updated
The procession passes Bank underground station, with the heralds bringing the news wearing tabards of the King’s coat of arms.
The lord mayor of London, Vincent Keaveny, is also part of the group, as is Tim Duke, an officer of arms, who will give the proclamation.
Once it gets under way at midday, there will be another fanfare, the reading of the proclamation, a verse of the national anthem and three cheers for the King.
Updated
People have gathered in the City of London at the Royal Exchange to hear the proclamation of the news that King Charles III is taking the throne.
A fanfare by state trumpeters has just begun on the steps outside to announce the heralds, who have just arrived from St James’s Palace.
Updated
In Edinburgh there is a real sense of calm before the crowds.
For now, it’s quiet. But in the coming days the city will become the focus of royal events when the Queen’s coffin is brought from Balmoral to the palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. That is expected to happen on Sunday.
There will, reportedly on Monday, be a ceremonial procession up the Royal Mile to St Giles’ Cathedral where a vigil, attended by members of the royal family, will be held. The cathedral will then be open to the public for 24 hours for a period of lying at rest, not lying in state because that will take place in London.
The arrangements are part of Operation Unicorn, which lays out procedures in the event of the Queen’s death taking place in Scotland.
Council workers are currently finishing the work to put down metal crowd control barriers along the Royal Mile. A number of road closures have already happened with the public encouraged to avoid any non-essential travel through the city centre, particularly the Old Town.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh city council said: “Mourners wishing to take part in events are being advised to plan ahead and take account of the weather conditions, limited facilities and the likelihood of spending long periods at the roadside.”
A one-way system has been put in place at Holyroodhouse, allowing the small but steady stream of people who continue to arrive, wanting to lay flowers at the palace railings, or pay quiet tribute.
People wanting to sign a book of condolence are being encouraged to do so online.
The calm before the crowds on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Soon it will be the focus of royal events with the Queen’s coffin expected to travel from Balmoral to Holyrood on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/SQI8OiALOu
— Mark Brown (@markbrown14) September 10, 2022
Updated
MPs are going to parliament this afternoon to be sworn in and take new oaths after the death of the Queen.
The Labour party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, spoke to Sky News minutes after the proclamation ended. He said he would be in the Commons this afternoon, before meeting the King at 3pm.
He said: “[It’s] unique, a real moment in history. As one era ends, so another begins. It has been mixed emotions I think across the whole country, because there has been an outpouring of grief at the loss of Queen Elizabeth the second. She was that constant that has been in all of our lives. For 90% of the population she has been the only Queen, our queen for all those years, and here God Save the King.
“It is a time where the whole nation can come together and you can feel that, that outpouring of grief across the nation, all ages, across the country, all across the world and that sense of the next chapter.”
Updated
King Charles' declaration to the accession council
In his declaration, King Charles built on the themes he outlined in his broadcast to the nation on Friday evening after returning to Buckingham Palace. He acknowledged people sympathising with his loss of both his mother and the monarch.
“It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many … and that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss.”
The King referred to the Queen’s “selfless service” and how her reign was “unequalled in its duration, dedication and devotion”.
He repeated that he would give up his revenues in exchange for getting the sovereign grant.
The 73-year-old had said on Friday that the news of his mother’s death had been the “moment we have been dreading” and followed it up in his speech to the nation that he would have new responsibilities. He continued the theme in his declaration.
“I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now been passed to me,” he said.
“I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government, and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands and of the Commonwealth realms and territories throughout the world.”
The full text can be found further down the blog at 10:29.
Updated
The assembled King’s Guard then put their rifles on the ground and return to a standing position.
They take off their helmets. White calls for “three cheers for his Majesty the King”.
The guards and crowds present in Friary Court respond in kind.
Gun salutes of 62 rounds were fired from saluting stations across the UK and elsewhere to mark the proclamation. There were shouts of Long Live the King by spectators at Tower Bridge. Salutes were fired from Cardiff Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Hillsborough Castle, Gibraltar, Colchester, York, Larkhill near Stonehenge, naval bases in Devonport and Portsmouth and a number of stations at sea.
Updated
White then reads out the proclamation, which is the same text as read out by the clerk to the accession council.
Whereas it has pleased almighty god to call to his mercy our late sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of blessed and glorious memory, by whose decease the crown of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to Prince Charles Philip Arthur George.
We therefore, the lords spiritual and temporal of this realm, and members of the House of Commons together with other members of her late majesty’s privy council and representatives of the realms and territories, alderman, citizens of London and others, with one voice and consent of tongue and heart publish and proclaim that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now by our the death of our late sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and happy liege lord, Charles III.
By the grace of god of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of his other realms and territory, King, head of the commonwealth, defender of the faith, to whom we do acknowledge all faith and obedience with humble affection, beseeching God by whom kings and queens do reign to bless his majesty with long and happy years to reign over us.
The colour is then lowered in front of the King’s Guard and White says: “God save the King” as the fanfare begins, and the gun salutes are fired.
God Save the King is then played by the Coldstream Guard.
Updated
Principal proclamation read as gun salutes fired across country
A fanfare is first played by heralds from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James’s Palace ahead of the principal proclamation.
There is then a pause to wait for 11am when the gun salutes begin. Members of the garter in their regalia are present.
Another fanfare is played. The address is then read by garter king of arms, David White, accompanied by the earl marshal. The process is part of the historic procedure of informing the country that the monarch has died.
Updated
Soldiers are gathering at the Tower of London ahead of gun salutes that are set to be fired at 11am.
Others can be seen standing to attention in Friary Court outside St James’s Palace with fixed bayonets.
Alongside the gun salutes in less than 10 minutes, there will be a fanfare from the balcony at St James’s Palace.
Updated
Queen's funeral to be public holiday
The King has approved an order that the day of the Queen’s funeral will be a bank holiday in the UK.
The date itself is yet to be confirmed, but is expected to be Monday 19 September.
Updated
King Charles signs two final proclamations, bows at the counsellors and leaves. They bow back.
The platform party then leaves, and privy counsellors are invited to sign the proclamation. Penny Mordaunt thanks them for attending.
Back to procedure as Penny Mordaunt again asks King Charles whether the declaration that has just been signed can be made public.
“Approved,” responds the King.
Others include a request to use the great seal, and existing seals from his mother’s reign, until a new one is produced.
Updated
The new King looks on as signatures continue. Those coming forward include the secretary of state for Scotland, Alister Jack.
The Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, follows him, as the Coldstream Guards can be heard playing outside.
Updated
King Charles then gives permission for the proclamation to be circulated to the Kingdom and gives his oath to uphold the security of the Church of Scotland.
He sits down to sign and confirm that he has taken the oath. This is followed by Camilla, Queen Consort, and William, Prince of Wales.
Updated
King Charles III makes declaration
The council has been brought to order, and the platform party has entered again, this time including King Charles.
Penny Mordaunt calls him to make his declaration.
King Charles says:
It is my most sorrowful duty to announce to you the death of my beloved mother, the Queen.
I know how deeply you, the entire nation – and I think I may say the whole world – sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we have all suffered. It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers and that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss.
To all of us as a family, as to this kingdom and the wider family of nations of which it is a part, my mother gave an example of lifelong love and of selfless service.
My mother’s reign was unequalled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion. Even as we grieve, we give thanks for this most faithful life.
I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now passed to me. In taking up these responsibilities, I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these Islands and of the Commonwealth realms and territories throughout the world.
In this purpose, I know that I shall be upheld by the affection and loyalty of the peoples whose Sovereign I have been called upon to be, and that in the discharge of these duties I will be guided by the counsel of their elected parliaments. In all this, I am profoundly encouraged by the constant support of my beloved wife.
I take this opportunity to confirm my willingness and intention to continue the tradition of surrendering the hereditary revenues, including the crown estate, to my government for the benefit of all, in return for the sovereign grant, which supports my official duties as head of state and head of nation.
And in carrying out the heavy task that has been laid upon me, and to which I now dedicate what remains to me of my life, I pray for the guidance and help of almighty God.
Updated
The attendees are now waiting for the King to enter for the second part of the ceremony, a meeting of the privy council.
The former prime ministers are seen at the front of the room.
A throne can be seen on the platform, which includes the Queen’s “ER” cypher. A new one is currently being designed that will be “CR”, Charles Rex.
Updated
The key signatures have been given. Mordaunt has given eight orders, following tradition, which would effectively ensure the news would be circulated across the kingdom.
This includes gun salutes, and an order that the proclamation be published in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast gazettes, historic publications.
The platform party has filed away, and the room is now emptying.
It’s the first time that women have been able to attend the accession council. Politicians including Angela Rayner, Andrea Leadsom and Rosie Winterton could be seen leaving.
Updated
Charles III is proclaimed King
The clerk of the council now speaks.
Whereas it has pleased almighty god to call to his mercy our late sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of blessed and glorious memory, by whose decease the crown of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to Prince Charles Philip Arthur George.
We therefore, the lords spiritual and temporal of this realm, and members of the House of Commons together with other members of her late majesty’s privy council and representatives of the realms and territories, alderman, citizens of London and others, with one voice and consent of tongue and heart publish and proclaim that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now by our the death of our late sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and happy liege lord.
Charles III, by the grace of god of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of his other realms and territory, King, head of the commonwealth, defender of the faith, to whom we do acknowledge all faith and obedience with humble affection, beseeching God by whom kings and queens do reign to bless his majesty with long and happy years to reign over us.”
He ends by saying “God Save the King,” which the members present return in unison.
The platform party now signs the proclamation, the Prince of Wales doing so first, followed by the Queen Consort.
Updated
The platform party is being led up, including William the Prince of Wales; Camilla, the Queen Consort; the prime minister, Liz Truss; the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the lord president, Penny Mordaunt, who is chairing the event.
“My lords, it is my sad duty to inform you that her most gracious majesty, Queen Elizabeth the second, has passed away on Thursday the 8th of September 2022 at Balmoral Castle,” Mordaunt begins.
Updated
The accession council is about to begin.
The first shot from inside St James’s Palace has been broadcast, showing British politicians and figures from past and present.
All six former prime ministers were captured gathered and in discussion along party lines. Former political party leaders Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband are present, as well as first minister Mark Drakeford.
Several members of the cabinet are in attendance, including James Cleverley, Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Ben Wallace.
Former archbishop of York, John Sentamu, could also be seen.
Updated
Accession council to meet to proclaim King Charles III
The accession council will meet shortly at St James’s Palace to proclaim King Charles III as the new sovereign.
The occasion will be attended by his son, William, who was appointed Prince of Wales yesterday evening by his father, who announced it during his address to the nation.
In a historic move, the ceremony will be televised for the first time. The 250 dignitaries is made up of privy counsellors and government ministers, along with former ministers, prime ministers and senior clergy. It will be presided over by Penny Mourdant, the lord president of the council.
The King will not be present for the first part of the council, but will then hold his first privy council, the UK’s oldest working legislative assembly.
Afterwards he will make his declaration about the Queen’s death and vow to preserve the Church of Scotland.
Roughly an hour after the council begins, the Principal Proclamation is read from the balcony at St James’s Palace. It is normally accompanied by a fanfare from the balcony and simultaneous gun salutes at Hyde Park and the Tower of London.
A second proclamation will be made at the Royal Exchange in the City of London, with further events in towns, boroughs and counties in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales on Sunday.
Flags will be flown at full mast after the Principal Proclamation, after being at flown at half mast since the Queen’s death was announced at 6:30pm on Thursday.
They will be lowered again an hour after the proclamations on Sunday.
Updated
Despite King Charles announcing that William will become Prince of Wales, people are signing a petition calling for the abolition of the title, which is seen by some as a symbol of subjugation. By Saturday morning it had passed the 7,000 mark.
The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford has said he looked forward to a deepening relationship with the new Prince and Princess of Wales.
He said: “King Charles III has enjoyed a long and enduring friendship with Wales. In his first public duty as monarch, at this most demanding of times, he has bestowed the title of Prince of Wales to his eldest son William. We look forward to deepening our relationship with the new Prince and Princess of Wales as they take on their new duties.”
Updated
Truss and former PMs arrive at St James's Palace
All six living former prime ministers are expected to join current PM, Liz Truss, at the accession council this morning. They have just been pictured entering St James’s Palace.
For the privy council meeting in the second part of the ceremony, not all counsellors are allowed to attend.
There are more than 700 members of the privy council at the moment, but the Times has reported (paywall) that there has had to be a ballot for those who want to attend, but are no longer in the cabinet or active in public life due to limits on capacity.
Updated
An interesting note as we are half an hour away from the start of the accession council, which is that King Charles himself will not be there for the first section where he will be affirmed as the new sovereign.
His son William, the new Prince of Wales will be, but the dignitaries present will proclaim the new King.
The monarch will then join for the convening of his first privy council. He will make a declaration and swear an oath to uphold the security of the Church of Scotland.
The prime minister has just been shown leaving Downing Street for St James’s Palace, about a mile away in central London.
Updated
An aide to the late South African president Nelson Mandela said he enjoyed a “warm friendship” with Queen Elizabeth.
His former private secretary Zelda la Grange said Mandela once joked about her weight on a visit to Buckingham Palace. He gave her the special name Motlalepula, which means to come with rain and was given “as a token of affection” after a torrential rain-hit state visit.
Reuters reports:
“They had a very warm friendship,” Zelda la Grange, Mandela’s private secretary from 1994 to 2013, said Friday.
“They shared the sense of duty, the sense of service and a calling that they adhered to throughout their lives, and there was a deep respect between the two of them and I think that was the basis of the connection between the two people, having an appreciation for tradition within their own nations.”
In the years following his release from Robben Island prison and becoming South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Mandela cultivated a close relationship with the Queen, hosting her in South Africa and visiting her in England and at Buckingham Palace.
The two global icons often spoke to each other by phone and used their first names as a mutual sign of respect and affection, said the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
“There are a few anecdotes but what stands out is we were in Buckingham Palace once ... Approaching the Queen, Mr. Mandela had a very wicked sense of humour. So, he walked up to the Queen and when he saw her he said: ‘Elizabeth, you’ve lost weight!’ and the Queen burst out laughing. I think he was the only person in the world who could comment on the Queen’s weight and get away with it,” La Grange said.
Hundreds of bouquets and tributes to the Queen have now been laid at the gate to Balmoral, including some hand-drawn portraits of the late monarch, a Paddington bear and a sketch of the Queen walking hand in hand with the famous refugee bear from Peru.
Some of the bouquets have been hand-tied with tartan ribbons, along
with an extract of a Robert Burns poem inscribed to “our gracious,
noble Queen”, reading: “my heart is in the Highlands, my heart is not
here. My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer.”
With the early morning sun burning off the mist on Deeside,
Aberdeenshire council officials and Police Scotland are anticipating
significant crowds of well-wishers during the day at Balmoral, where
the Queen spent every summer on holiday. The council has put on
special bus services from the nearby villages of Braemar and Ballater,
with park and ride schemes set-up for visitors.
Diana, a military GP who lives locally, was one of the first
well-wishers to arrive on Saturday morning, with her two children. She had gone there “to show my fondness and respect for the Queen, and her family. Her service.”
On Sunday, a hearse bearing the Queen’s coffin is expected to travel
through Deeside villages, including Ballater, before being taken to
the palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will remain
overnight before being taken to St Giles’ cathedral on the Royal Mile
to lie in state for one or two days.
Updated
Given King Charles’ long-standing interest in the environment, Fiona Harvey has examined whether he will be as green a king as he was a prince
In 1970, the young Prince of Wales made a speech warning of the dangers of pollution, and said society must deal urgently with the cost of cleaning it up, and preventing it in the first place.
“We are faced at this moment with the horrifying effects of pollution in all its cancerous forms. There is the growing menace of oil pollution at sea, which almost destroys beaches and certainly destroys tens of thousands of seabirds,” he told the Countryside Steering Committee for Wales. “There is chemical pollution discharged into rivers from factories and chemical plants, which clogs up the rivers with toxic substances and adds to the filth in the seas. There is air pollution from smoke and fumes discharged by factories and from gases pumped out by endless cars and aeroplanes.”
That speech, made when he was 21, was greeted as “dotty” at the time, he later recalled, but today seems prescient.
“He is possibly the most significant environmental figure of all time,” says veteran environment campaigner Tony Juniper, a former chief of Friends of the Earth.
Read more:
Our Scotland editor, Severin Carrell, is at Balmoral and has been looking at the floral tributes left by members of the public.
Hundreds of bouquets and tributes have been laid at #Balmoral’s gate, some tied with tartan, including drawings of the #Queen, a Paddington bear pic.twitter.com/MonH6SyvUJ
— Severin Carrell (@severincarrell) September 10, 2022
Updated
As part of the many changes after the death of the Queen, new Scout members have been making a pledge to King Charles.
For the last 70 years, the organisation’s “promise” has included a vow to “to do my duty to the Queen”.
However, four children in Chingford, north-east London, were among those promising to do their duty for the King on Friday evening.
Among those taking part was 11-year-old Molly Gilles. She told PA Media: “It’s weird saying it because I’m used to saying ‘queen’ and now you say ‘king’.
“I think he’s going to be a good person to take over the Queen.”
Updated
King Charles’s ascension to the throne has reignited a debate over whether the royal family deserves a global role in the 21st century, no more so than in the 14 Commonwealth realms where the British monarch remains the head of state, write Patrick Wintour and Oliver Holmes:
A legacy of empire and slavery that was entwined with British royalty for centuries has raised tough questions about the place of a foreign king, and republican movements from the Pacific to North America to the Caribbean will be assessing whether they should seize the moment.
Recent developments, notably Barbados becoming a republic in 2021 and removing Queen Elizabeth as its head of state, have also led to a crescendo that could now reach a climax.
While there are strong republican voices in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, Jamaica appears to be most likely to face the issue immediately, not least because appointing the new king might require a constitutional referendum.On Friday, the main story on the front page of one of Jamaica’s leading newspapers, the Gleaner, said the Queen’s death would “make Jamaica’s break with monarchy easier”.
What will happen today
Here is a guide to some of the key moments scheduled to take place today.
10am: Charles is proclaimed King at the accession council in the state apartments of St James’s Palace. This will be attended by his son William, whose new title is the Prince of Wales.
Others in attendance at the ceremony, which will be televised for the first time, will include privy counsellors and government ministers and possibly former ministers, prime ministers and senior clergy.
Afterwards, the King will hold his first privy council – the UK’s oldest working legislative assembly – accompanied by Camilla and William and will make his personal declaration about the Queen’s death and take an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland.
11am: Charles is proclaimed sovereign. The principal proclamation is read from the balcony at St James’s Palace overlooking Friary Court. The ceremony is usually accompanied by a fanfare from the balcony and simultaneous gun salutes at Hyde Park and the Tower of London.
Noon: A second proclamation will be made at the Royal Exchange in the City of London (further proclamations will be made on Sunday in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales).
2pm: Senior MPs expected to swear an oath of allegiance to the new King, with condolences continuing in parliament until 10pm. All MPs will have the opportunity to take the oath when parliament returns after the 10 days of national mourning, but it is not a formal requirement.
Updated
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have charted a path for themselves in California with King Charles’s stamp of approval. Will the Queen’s death change Meghan and Harry’s new chapter?
The couple live in the celebrity enclave of Montecito, in a mansion reportedly purchased for $14.65m and have started Archewell, a combination of nonprofit and for-profit ventures that aims to “unleash the power of compassion to drive systemic cultural change”.
In a move that echoes the post-White House ambitions of Barack and Michelle Obama, the pair signed a reported $100m, multi-year deal with Netflix to produce TV shows, films and children’s programs. Meghan launched a Spotify podcast Archetypes, featuring interviews with American celebrity royalty such as Serena Williams, Mariah Carey and Mindy Kaling.The duo is engaged in several humanitarian organizations, including Harry’s Invictus games, and frequently speak out on public issues…
More scrutiny of Windsor family dynamics and the role these two royal dissenters might play in the reign of Harry’s 73-year-old father, Charles III, is likely, especially given the anticipated release of Harry’s memoir, which is expected to delve into the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death, and Harry and Meghan’s life in the UK before their departure to California.
Updated
Tributes to the Queen were held in cities including Bangkok and Canberra on Saturday, while her death has continued to feature on front pages around the world.
The
Updated
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito is expected to attend Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral, local media reported on Saturday.
If confirmed, this will be his first overseas trip since he ascended the Chrysanthemum throne in 2019 following his father’s abdication, according to AFP.
Here is some further detail from AFP’s report:
Public broadcaster NHK reported on Saturday that the Imperial Household Agency and the Japanese government are making arrangements, citing unnamed sources.
Both were not immediately available to confirm the reports.
The Mainichi Shimbun daily noted that this is a rare response, as the emperor does not typically attend any funerals in Japan and overseas, though other members of the royal family do.
Empress Masako will also attend if her condition allows, reports said.
Local media cited close ties between Japanese and British royals as reasons for Naruhito’s possible attendance. Naruhito’s father, Akihito, attended the queen’s coronation in 1953 as the crown prince in place of then-emperor Hirohito. In 1975, the queen made the first visit to Japan by a British monarch and met Hirohito.
In a statement released after her death, Naruhito hailed her “many achievements and contributions”, saying he felt “deep sorrow”.
The 62-year-old emperor - who studied at Oxford University - thanked her for “many considerations she has given me during my studies and visits to the UK”.
Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, is also reportedly considering attending the funeral.
Updated
Messages of condolence have been sent from across the world to King Charles III. Here is a letter sent by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern:
On behalf of the Government of New Zealand I wish to express my sincere condolences on the death of Her Majesty The Queen, your mother.
As Queen of New Zealand, Her Majesty was loved for her grace, calmness, dedication, and public service. Her affection for New Zealand and its people was clear, and it was an affection that was shared.
Her Majesty was an important part of all our lives throughout her reign – but she was first and foremost a daughter, a sister, a mother, and a grandmother.
You have our deepest sympathies for her loss but also our gratitude for her extraordinary life of service.
Updated
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn has sent a message of condolence to Charles, writing that the Queen had “truly dedicated her life to serving the people”.
In a message, he wrote:
Queen Suthida, members of the Thai royal family, and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The people of Thailand join with the people of Great Britain in mourning this great loss of the head of state, and together remember Her Majesty’s royal grace and royal duties which Her Majesty had carried out as Queen…
The people of Thailand and I still remember with much pride and warmth the two historic state visits made by Your Majesty in 1972 and 1996, as guests of my beloved father, His late Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
May I, on behalf of the people of Thailand, express to Your Majesty, the Royal Family and the British people our heartfelt sympathy and condolences.
Updated
Here is the front page of the Guardian’s Saturday paper:
Guardian front page, Saturday 10 September 2022: 'I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty and love' pic.twitter.com/vkbu34xM5T
— The Guardian (@guardian) September 9, 2022
Today’s papers are dominated by King Charles III’s emotional address to the nation, which was delivered on Friday evening. Read the Guardian’s round up of the front pages here:
Updated
Cabinet to have first meeting with King
Members of the cabinet will have their first meeting with the King just days after Liz Truss formed her new government, according to Press Association.
It reports:
Senior ministers will attend the Accession Council at St James’s Palace where Charles will be formally proclaimed sovereign.
Later they will travel to Buckingham Palace for an audience with the monarch.
Truss, who was invited to form a Government by the late Queen on Tuesday, had her initial audience with the King on Friday evening.
Charles told her: “It was the moment I have been dreading, as I know a lot of people have. We’ll try to keep everything going.”
Parliament will also convene today, a rare Saturday sitting, for MPs to share memories of the Queen and approve a message of condolence to the King.
Updated
A ceremony to proclaim the accession of King Charles III will also take place on Saturday in Ottawa.
The ceremony will be held at 10 am EDT (1400 GMT) at Rideau Hall, the official residence of the governor-general, the monarch’s representative in Canada, Reuters reports.
Canada ceased being a colony of Britain in 1867, but remained in the British Empire until 1982, and is still a member of the Commonwealth.
Charles, 73, automatically became monarch upon the Queen’s death on Thursday, but today’s proceedings are a constitutional formality to recognise his sovereignty.
Normally such ceremonies would happen within 24 hours of a sovereign’s death, but the late announcement of the Queen’s death meant it wasn’t possible to organise in time for Friday.
Here are some further detail on today’s events:
The King will be proclaimed at the accession council, which is made up of members of the privy council, a group of senior politicians, as well as high-ranking civil servants, Commonwealth high commissioners, and the lord mayor of London. (You can find the full details here)
The accession council, attended by privy counsellors, is divided into two parts.
First, the privy council, without the King present, will proclaim the sovereign and approve arrangements for his upcoming proclamation. Then, the King will meet with the privy council, make his declaration and read and sign an oath.
Afterwards, the principal proclamation, declaring Charles as the new king, will be read at 11.00hrs from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James’s Palace.
In recognition of the new sovereign, flags will be flown at full-mast from the time of the principal proclamation at St James’s Palace until one hour after the proclamations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Afterwards, flags will return to half-mast in mourning of the Queen.
Updated
Charles will be formally proclaimed King at a ceremony at St James’s Palace on Saturday morning, with proceedings televised for the first time.
Charles will be proclaimed sovereign in a historic accession council ceremony that will begin at 10am.
Afterwards, the first public proclamation of the new sovereign will be held at 11am. It is traditionally read by the Garter King of Arms in the open air to a trumpet fanfare from the Friary Court balcony at St James’s, with gun salutes fired in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London.
A second proclamation at the Royal Exchange in the City of London will be read one hour later, at noon. Separate proclamations will be read in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at noon on Sunday.
During an address to the nation on Friday evening, King Charles III pledged to serve the country “with loyalty, respect and love”.
He paid tribute to his mother, the Queen, saying: “May ‘flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.’”
Speaking with “feelings of profound sorrow”, he said: “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.”
William and Catherine were named Prince and Princess of Wales, and Charles spoke of his love for Harry and Meghan.
The King also met the prime minister, Liz Truss, on Friday evening at Buckingham Palace. When he arrived at the palace, he was met with cheers and kisses from thousands of well-wishers.
Tributes to Queen Elizabeth continued overnight. In Australia, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, praised “her decency, her commitment to service” during a wreath-laying ceremony in Canberra.
Across the world, from New York to Sydney, Berlin to Tel Aviv, cities have projected Elizabeth II’s likeness or the colours of the union flag in memory of the late Queen.
Updated
