London (UK): King Charles III has arrived at Buckingham Palace for the first time as Britain's monarch. The king flew to London from Scotland on Friday and was driven to the royal residence in an official Rolls-Royce. A large crowd cheered as the car arrived at the palace gates. He got out of the car to greet well-wishers and look at some of the huge pile of floral tributes left to honour his mother Queen Elizabeth II. Some called Thank you Charles and Well done, Charlie! as he shook hands with the crowd. Several shouted God save the King!
After the passing away of Queen Elizabeth on Thursday, King Charles will be officially proclaimed as Britain's new monarch at a meeting of the Accession Council at St James's Palace on Saturday. The 73-year-old King Charles has boarded a plane to London and will be proclaimed at Accession Council tomorrow at 10 am tomorrow in the State Apartments of St James's Palace, said Buckingham Palace.
Following news that the Queen's health was deteriorating, other senior royals also rushed to be by her side, including the next in line to the throne, Prince William. His brother Prince Harry, was the first to leave the Royal Family's Scottish residence this morning and boarded a British Airways flight from Aberdeen to London after he had travelled to Scotland alone. Prince William did not join his father, as it is a royal protocol that the monarch and heir to the throne do not travel together, reported Sky News.
He, Princess Royal, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Prince Andrew remain in Scotland. Senior royals will have duties to perform in Scotland in the coming days when the Queen's coffin begins its journey back to the capital. King Charles III acceded to the throne immediately following the death of Elizabeth II on Thursday, and described losing his mother as "a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family".
During this mourning period, he said he and his family would be "comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held". The new monarch - born Charles Philip Arthur George - became heir to the throne at the age of three, a title he would hold for 70 years. He has been preparing to be King his entire life and has chosen to use his Christian name for his title as monarch, just like his late beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The formal process of proclaiming him King will be carried out by the Accession Council - a group made up of Privy Counsellors, Great Officers of State, the Lord Mayor of London, Realm High Commissioners and senior civil servants. It is split into two parts. The first approves various consequential orders including the arrangements, without the King present.
The second involves the King holding his first Privy Council, making his declaration and reading and signing an oath to uphold the security of the Church in Scotland (as unlike in England, Church and State are separate there) and approve orders which facilitate continuity of government. (With Agency Inputs)
