The United Kingdom held its breath this Saturday morning during the proclamation ceremony of King Charles III. Two days after the death of Elizabeth II, the accession of her son to the throne of Great Britain was formalized through a solemn ceremony during which she spoke to reiterate her commitment to the British people.
This ceremony took place in two stages at Saint James’s Palace in London. The Accession Council, which included members of the Royal Family, Prime Minister Liz Truss, several Ministers of State and two Church of England Archbishops, met first without the new king to sign the official proclamation document. Carlos III then appeared before them, accompanied by his wife Camila and his eldest son Guillermo. It was before affixing his own signature that the king made a five-minute speech. Let us return to these few words.
• A tribute to the queen
Carlos III began this speech paying homage again to his “beloved mother”, who died this Thursday at the age of 96 after 70 years of reign.
“I know how much the entire nation accompanies me and I dare to say the entire world, in this irreparable loss that we have suffered, it is a consolation for me to know all these affections expressed towards me, towards that of my brothers and sisters, and this Support extends to my entire family in the face of this loss.”
• Continuation of the legacy of Elizabeth II
“My mother gave an example of service,” continued King Carlos III, whose reign he salutes that “has not been equal in duration, commitment and dedication.” And to add that as king, he wishes to preserve the inheritance of his ancestor:
“I am deeply aware of this heritage and the duties and responsibilities of sovereignty that have now been handed down to me. In accepting these responsibilities, I will do my best to follow the example that inspired me.”
• A message of unity addressed to the Commonwealth
At a time when tensions between the crown and certain Commonwealth countries are at an all-time high, King Charles III made sure to incorporate them into his speech:
“(I will do my best) to seek peace, harmony and prosperity for the people of our islands and the territories of our kingdom throughout the world. For this, I know that the affection and loyalty of the people will accompany me. brought here, and the advice of your elected Parliaments will guide me in this task.
Last November, the island of Barbados marked by the legacy of centuries of slavery officially declared itself a republic and abandoned the crown. Jamaica or Australia could follow.
• Financials unchanged
According to AFP, King Carlos III has confirmed that he wants to continue the tradition of returning to public finances the income from the Crown’s assets (land, investments, etc.) in exchange for a fixed annual allocation (“sovereign subsidy”) . 15% of these income. This sum represented 86.3 million pounds for 2021-2022, or 98 million euros.
• King until his death
“In order to carry out this heavy task that falls to me, I will dedicate the rest of my life to it and I pray that Almighty God guides me in my duties.”
With this formulation, and like his mother before him, Charles III announced his intention to keep his place at the head of the British monarchy until the end of his life. The order of succession to the throne is that it is his eldest son, William, who takes over when the time comes.
• A word for your wife
Carlos III highlighted the support of his wife Camila, who became queen consort on the death of Elizabeth II: “I am encouraged in all these actions by my beloved wife.”
One way to express your affection for this woman with a surprising fate: hated by public opinion in the 1980s, seen as responsible for the end of Charles’s marriage to the much-loved Lady Di, she knew how to restore her image for decades and is now with the new King of England.
Charles III concluded his speech by pledging to protect the Church of Scotland: “I (…) promise and swear that I will defend and preserve the establishment of the true Protestant religion according to the laws of Scotland.”
Source: BFM TV
