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First memorial held in honour of Queen Elizabeth, as King Charles III’s reign begins today

Funeral Planned For ‘A Little Over A Week’

In his first public address since Thursday afternoon’s passing of the longest reigning British monarch in history, Queen Elizabeth II in her home in Balmoral estate in Scotland, her eldest son, King Charles III – formerly Prince Charles till yesterday – paid tribute to his “beloved mother” in a recorded video message.

In his first public address since Thursday afternoon’s passing of the longest reigning British monarch in history, Queen Elizabeth II in her home in Balmoral estate in Scotland, her eldest son, King Charles III – formerly Prince Charles till yesterday – paid tribute to his “beloved mother” in a recorded video message.

In the broadcast to the nation before the memorial service held in the late 96-year-old monarch’s honour began yesterday evening at the St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, the new King said “thank you, thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of the nations you have served so diligently all these years.”

He ended the address praying: “May flights of angels sing to thy rest.” He also praised her for making “sacrifices to duty “ at various times in the nation’s history.

About 2000 mourning members of the public, politicians and government officials, including the country’s Prime Minister, Liz Truss, attended the service.

Truss, who was appointed just four days ago at the Balmoral estate by the late Queen, read a bible passage at the service. The newly tweaked version of the United Kingdom’s national anthem was sung at the end. Both the title and lyrics have now been changed from “God Save the Queen” to “God Save The King” and “her victorious” to “him victorious” respectively.

The new king, whose reign officially begins on Saturday (today), also used the occasion of the address to “pledge myself to uphold “ the same principles that the Queen stood for.

Earlier yesterday, bells rang out at the venue of the service, at Windsor and also at the Westminster Abbey. There were also gun salutes across the country to mark the passing of the Queen.

The King himself was busy, starting with flying back to London from Aberdeen and then greeting crowds outside Buckingham Palace on arrival. Crowds sang “God save the King” as he greeted them.

Though exact details of the time her body will be flown back to London for both the lying-in-state and funeral have not been fully revealed, the King said it’s going to be “in just over a week.”

King Charles III ascended to the British throne at the age of 73 upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96, and was proclaimed king by the Ascension Council shortly afterwards.

Meanwhile, the coronation of Charles III and his wife Camilla as king and queen consort of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms is yet to be scheduled.

But plans have been made for Charles III’s coronation under the code name Operation Golden Orb. The Committee is chaired by Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, who holds the hereditary office of Earl Marshal.

The operation is made up of leading members of the aristocracy and other dignitaries, and is constitutionally separate from the private office of Charles III or Elizabeth II.

Reports suggest that Charles’s coronation ceremony will be simpler and more scaled-down than his mother’s in 1953. It was learnt that the coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey and will be a Church of England service, without alteration to the vows.

However, it will also include some alterations to reflect modern-day Britain. It is likely that he will maintain his current name. To become Charles III, as opposed to choosing a new regnal name, as some former monarchs have, Liz Truss, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has addressed him as such already.

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