To UK, a pledge of ‘lifelong service’
King Charles III vows to continue his mother’s legacy
LONDON — King Charles III vowed in his first speech as monarch Friday to carry on Queen Elizabeth II’s “lifelong service” with his own modernizing stamp, as Britain entered an uncertain new age under a new sovereign. Around the world, the queen’s exceptional reign was commemorated, celebrated and debated.
Charles, who spent much of his 73 years preparing for the role of king, addressed a nation grieving the only British monarch most people alive today had ever known. He takes the throne in an era of unease for both his country and the monarchy itself.
He spoke of his “profound sorrow” over the death of his mother, calling her “an inspiration and example to me and to all my family.”
“That promise of lifelong service I renew to all today,” he said in the nearly 10-minute address, recorded earlier in the day and delivered with a framed photo of the queen on a desk in front of him.
“As the queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I, too, now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation,” he said.
As the country began a 10-day mourning period, people around the globe gathered at British embassies
to pay homage to the queen, who died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at age 96 after an unprecedented 70 years on the throne.
In London and at military sites across the United Kingdom, cannons fired 96 shots in an elaborate 16-minute salute marking each year of the queen’s life.
The widespread admiration for Elizabeth in Britain and across its former colonies was occasionally mixed with scorn for the institution and the imperial history she symbolized.
Charles, who became the monarch immediately upon his mother’s death, will be formally proclaimed king at a ceremony Saturday. He is expected to tour the United Kingdom in the coming days.
The queen’s coffin will be brought to London, where she will lie in state before a funeral at Westminster Abbey, expected around Sept. 19.
On the king’s first full day of duties, Charles left Balmoral and flew to London for a meeting with Prime Minister Liz Truss,
appointed by the queen just two days before her death.
He arrived at Buckingham Palace, the monarch’s London home, for the first time as sovereign, emerging from the official state Bentley limousine alongside Camilla, the queen consort, to shouts from the crowd of “Well done, Charlie!” and the singing of the national anthem, now called “God Save the King.” One woman gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Under intense scrutiny and pressure to show he can be both caring and regal, Charles walked slowly past
flowers heaped at the palace gates for his mother. The mood was both grieving and celebratory.
“It has been so touching. ... All those people, come to give their condolences,” he told Truss during their meeting.
In his speech, Charles looked to both the past — noting his mother’s unwavering “dedication and devotion as sovereign” — and the future, seeking to strike a reassuring note of constancy while signaling that his will be a 21stcentury monarchy.
He reflected on how the country had changed dramatically during the queen’s reign into a society “of many cultures and many faiths,” and pledged to serve people in Britain and the 14 other countries where he is king “whatever may be your background or beliefs.”
He spoke of his son Prince William, now heir to the throne and formally given the title that Charles long held, Prince of Wales. William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, will “continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given,” Charles said, referring to the couple’s work on homelessness, mental health and other issues.
He also struck a note of reconciliation after a raw family rift with his other son when he said, “I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”
Prince Harry and wife Meghan have been in a tense relationship with the royal family since they stepped away from their official duties and left the country in 2020.
Around the world, the queen’s passing revealed conflicting emotions about the nation and institutions she represented.
In Ireland, some soccer fans cheered.
In India, once the “jewel in the crown” of the British empire, entrepreneur Dhiren Singh described his own personal sadness at her death, but added: “I do not think we have any place for kings and queens in today’s world.”