Proclamation of accession of Charles III
Charles III acceded to the monarchy of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, in the afternoon (BST) of 8 September 2022. Although royal succession in the United Kingdom occurs immediately upon the death of the reigning monarch, the formal proclamation of the former Prince Charles as King Charles III did not occur until 10 September 2022 at 10:00 am (BST). On that day, the Accession Council gathered at St James's Palace in London.[1][2] The line of succession is identical in all the Commonwealth realms, but the royal title as proclaimed is not the same in all of them.
United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom will meet that evening when members will swear allegiance to the new king and express condolences for the late Queen's death. Most parliamentary activities will then be suspended for 10 days. At 3:30 p.m., the king will host the prime minister and the cabinet for an audience.[3] On the same day, the proclamation of the accession of King Charles III will be issued by the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.[3][4]
The Accession Council for Charles III will be the first such ceremony to be televised and streamed online.[5] Although the medium was well-established in the UK by 1952, any form of broadcast of the ceremony proclaiming Elizabeth's accession was prohibited at the time on traditional and religious grounds.[citation needed]
Text of proclamation
As read out by the Clerk of the Council at the Accession Council on 10 September 2022:[6]
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 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to the 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, Aldermen, and citizens of London and others, do now hereby, with one Voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart, publish and proclaim, that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now, by the Death of our late Sovereign of happy Memory, become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Charles the Third, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of his other Realms and Territories, 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.
Given at St James's Palace this tenth day of September in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-two. GOD SAVE THE KING!!!
Canada
The proclamation in Canada will take place at Rideau Hall on 10 September.[7]
Australia
The proclamation in Australia will take place at Parliament House, Canberra, on 11 September.[8]
New Zealand
The proclamation in New Zealand will take place at Parliament Buildings, Wellington, on 11 September.[9]
See also
References
- ^ "The Accession Council". Privy Council. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
- ^ Knight, Sam (16 March 2017). "Operation London Bridge: the secret plan for the days after the Queen's death". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
- ^ a b Wickham, Alex (3 September 2021). "Britain's plan for when Queen Elizabeth II dies". Politico. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
- ^ "Accession Council and Principal Proclamation". Royal.uk. The Royal Household. Retrieved 9 Sep 2022.
- ^ Forrest, Adam (10 September 2022). "What is Accession Council? King Charles's proclamation ceremony to be televised live". The Independent.
- ^ Harris, Katie; Maddox, David (2022-09-10). "Charles is formally proclaimed King in televised Accession Council". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- ^ "Ceremony to proclaim the Accession of the Sovereign to take place at Rideau Hall". gg.ca. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ "PROCLAMATION OF KING CHARLES THE THIRD". pmc.gov.au. 11 September 2022.
- ^ "The New Zealand accession proclamation ceremony". gg.govt.nz.