King Charles III has been formally proclaimed as the new monarch of the United Kingdom. At his confirmation ceremony, he promised to “follow the inspiring example” of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
In his first address to the nation on Friday, the King, who ascended to the throne on Thursday following the Queen’s death, honored her “life well lived” and renewed her “promise of lifelong service.”
The death of the 96-year-old Queen brought to an end a seven-decade reign that saw her as a beacon of stability in a turbulent world. The UK has entered an official period of mourning, with tributes pouring in from all over the world. Her funeral arrangements are expected to be announced soon.
After Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday, her husband assumed the throne, making Camilla Queen Consort and assuming a new, more significant role alongside King Charles III.
Camilla continues to cause controversy in Britain just over 25 years after Diana, Princess of Wales, Charles’ first wife, passed away.
She was born Camilla Shand in July 1947, and according to legend, she first met Prince Charles in 1970 at a polo match in Windsor.
The following year, Charles enlisted in the Royal Navy, and Camilla wed cavalry officer Andrew Parker Bowles while he was away. In the 1970s, the couple had two kids.
Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, but he admitted to Camilla in 1994 that he had an extramarital affair with her.
Camilla and Andrew Parker Bowles divorced in 1995. The following year, Charles and Diana divorced, and Camilla faded from public view as public and media support shifted to the princess. The pro-Diana, anti-Camilla sentiment was exacerbated by the outpouring of sympathy for Diana following her death in a high-speed car accident in Paris in 1997.
Clarence House launched a program in 1999 to reintroduce Camilla to the public, beginning with a carefully orchestrated first appearance with Charles outside the Ritz Hotel in London. She moved into Clarence House to be near Charles, and her name began to appear on official documents.
Their story culminated in 2005, when they were married in Windsor with the Queen’s permission. Camilla was confirmed as Charles’ official consort and future queen of the United Kingdom.
Despite her fear of flying, the duchess threw herself into life as a senior royal, accompanying Charles on official engagements in the UK and on overseas tours. With her common touch and ability to diffuse tension in a room, she quickly became an asset to the royal family and British government.
Camilla became queen automatically when her husband became king. However, it was long assumed that she would not use the title, with Clarence House issuing a statement in 2005 stating that she would be known as “Princess Consort.” Some in the palace thought the public wasn’t ready for Camilla to take the throne that had been destined for Diana.
However, attitudes toward Camilla have shifted over time. A CNN poll in 2015 found that one in every four Britons had grown to like her more, with fewer people opposing her becoming queen.
The Queen then used the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee in February 2022 to give her approval for the Duchess of Cornwall to be known as Queen when the time came. It was a hugely significant intervention from the monarch, who is the only person who has the authority to define royal titles.
Queen’s Funeral To Hold Sept 19
The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will take place on Monday, September 19, at Westminster Abbey in London.
The event will begin at 11:00 a.m., according to royal officials (10:00 GMT).
Buckingham Palace also confirmed that the queen, who died at the age of 96 on Thursday, will be taken to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, west of London, for a committal service.
The queen’s body is currently in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle in northeast Scotland, in an oak coffin covered by the Royal Standard for Scotland and topped with a flower wreath.
Royal officials described it as a “scene of quiet dignity.”
US President, Joe Biden has said he would attend the funeral.