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King Charles III pays

tribute to his mother in
first speech
By George Bowden
BBC News

9 September 2022, 09:35 BST

Updated 4 minutes ago

09:01

Watch: King Charles's first speech in full

"Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived," King

Charles III said, as he renewed his "darling
Mama's" promise of lifelong service.

In an emotional first address to the nation, he

praised her warmth, humour and ability to see the
best in people.

Prince William and Catherine will become Prince

and Princess of Wales, he said, as he expressed his
love for his son Prince Harry and wife Meghan.

The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral in

Scotland on Thursday aged 96.

The speech was broadcast as a service to

remember the late Queen, attended by senior
politicians and 2,000 members of the public, got
under way at St Paul's Cathedral.

It saw the first official rendition of the national

anthem - God Save the King - since Charles
became monarch.

King Charles III's address in full

In his televised address, the King, 73, said: "Her

dedication and devotion as Sovereign never
waivered, through times of change and progress,
through times of joy and celebration, and through
times of sadness and loss."

He announced he had created his son William the

Prince of Wales, with his wife Catherine the
Princess of Wales.

And he expressed his "love for Harry and Meghan

as they continue to build their lives overseas".

Speaking about his wife of 17 years, Camilla, 75,

who becomes the Queen Consort, he said: "I know
she will bring to the demands of her new role the
steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come
to rely so much."

He acknowledged his life had now changed,

saying: "It will no longer be possible for me to give
so much of my time and energies to the charities
and issues for which I care so deeply.

"But I know this important work will go on in the

trusted hands of others."

Heir to the throne Prince William will now take on

the King's former Scottish titles and responsibility
for the Duchy of Cornwall.

"With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and

Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire
and lead our national conversations, helping to
bring the marginal to the centre ground where
vital help can be given," the King said.

Looking ahead to the Queen's funeral, the King

expressed his hope that despite the sorrow felt
around the nation and Commonwealth people
would "remember and draw strength from the
light of her example".

He concluded: "And to my darling Mama, as you

begin your last great journey to join my dear late
Papa, I want simply to say this: thank you.

"Thank you for your love and devotion to our

family and to the family of nations you have
served so diligently all these years.

"May 'flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest'."

Tribute to the two women at

centre of Charles' life

This was an intensely personal speech from King

Charles, full of undisguised emotion about his
family at a time of mourning.

It included a headline announcement that Prince

William and Kate would become Prince and
Princess of Wales, handing on to the next
generation.

But perhaps more movingly he paid tribute to two

women at the centre of his life - his mother the
Queen and his "darling wife' Camilla.

He spoke of his "profound sorrow" at the loss his

mother, her "life well lived" and her "sacrifices for
duty", sticking tenaciously to her sense of service
through decades of huge social change.

The new King also praised the "steadfast devotion"

of the new Queen, his wife Camilla, making clear
the important and non-negotiable role she would
play in his life.

There was also an expression of love for "Harry

and Meghan as they continue to build their lives
overseas".

Another clear message being sent was that

Charles was here for the long haul, the throne
would be a lifelong commitment for him, for all
"the remaining time God grants me".

But it was an important, tone-setting speech that

was absent of any pomposity, promising to serve
rather than to rule. It also touched on two of his
passions, Shakespeare and religion.

Although nothing is accidental in the royal world

and the speech from Buckingham Palace had its
own deliberate symbolism.

He spoke in a room used by his mother for

Christmas messages and in front of a posy of
sweet peas and rosemary meant to represent
remembrance.

And at the base of the vase there were three

corgis.

Earlier, in one of his first constitutional duties as

monarch, the King held an in-person audience
with Prime Minister Liz Truss at Buckingham
Palace.

He told Ms Truss, who was appointed by his

mother on Tuesday, that the Queen's death was
"the moment I'd been dreading, as I know a lot of
people have, but we'll try and keep everything
going".

Shortly before, the sun shone brightly as the new

King emerged with Camilla from the state
limousine outside the Palace to shake hands with
people who had gathered there.

With cheers and spontaneous shouts of "God save

the King", the crowd swelled against barriers
assembled across the entire length of the palace
forecourt.

At Westminster on Friday, MPs and Lords were

paying tribute to the Queen, with Ms Truss
describing her as "one of the greatest leaders the
world has ever known".

It followed gun salutes and church bell tributes

across the country following the Queen's death.

00:50

WATCH: A glimpse inside King Charles's first

audience with PM Liz Truss

The palace has released further details of what

will happen over the coming days.

The date of the Queen's funeral is yet to be

revealed, but it is expected to be in the next two
weeks.

Before that, her coffin will lie at rest in Edinburgh

for 24 hours and will then move to London to lie in
state.

While it is lying in state in Westminster Hall,

members of the public will be allowed to file past
and pay their respects.

There will be no physical book of condolences for

members of the public to sign, but the palace has
opened an online one.

King Charles earlier declared a period of mourning

across the Royal Family and Household to be
observed until seven days aaer his mother is laid
to rest at Windsor.

Gun salutes fired and church bells tolled to

pay tribute to the Queen

King Charles III and the Queen Consort

returned to London

He held an audience with Prime Minister Liz

Truss

A public, ticketed ceremony of remembrance

took place at St Paul's

As part of the process of proclaiming Charles as

King, a meeting of the Accession Council on
Saturday will be attended by the King's son, Prince
William, the new Prince of Wales.

It will also be attended by invited Privy Councillors

and current serving government ministers - but
that could also include former ministers, prime
ministers, and senior clergy.

Aaer the meeting, the Principal Proclamation,

announcing Charles as sovereign, will be read at
11:00 BST from the balcony overlooking Friary
Court at St James's Palace, central London.

Obituary: A long life marked by a sense of

duty

Queen Elizabeth II: A life in pictures

This is the moment history stops

King Charles III, the new monarch

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