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Leader of the opposition National party in New Zealand Chris Luxon has said he does not believe there is public appetite for leaving the monarchy. People are more concerned about issues such as the cost of living, he said.
Speaking to Newshub Nation Luxon said:
I visit two or three towns each and every week, it just isn’t a topic of conversation that comes up. I appreciate at times like this we start thinking about having these conversations, but there actually isn’t a real desire for the conversation or to make any change to our constitutional arrangements… The reality for me is people are very fixated on other things: cost a living, housing, healthcare, education, crime. That’s what they’re really concerned about at the moment.
He also paid tribute to the Queen, adding: “she’s woken up each and every day with tremendous mission and purpose to serve her people incredibly well”.
Charles will be formally proclaimed King at a historic Accession Council in an ancient ceremony at St James’s Palace on Saturday.
The accession council will be followed by the principal proclamation, the first public proclamation of the new sovereign, held at 11am. It is traditionally read by the Garter King of Arms in the open air to a trumpet fanfare from the Friary Court balcony at St James’s, with gun salutes fired in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London.
A second proclamation at the Royal Exchange in the City of London will be read one hour later, at noon. Separate proclamations will be read in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at noon on Sunday.
For the first time, the accession council will be televised.
During the ceremony, Charles will make a declaration and swear and sign an oath in the presence of privy counsellors, expected to include Camilla, the new Queen, and William, now the Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge.
In recognition of the new sovereign, flags will be flown at full mast from the time of the first proclamation until after one hour after the proclamations in the other nations, before being lowered once more to half-mast.
Agence France-Presse reports on the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II from Argentina, a country that shares a complex history with Britain.
The government in Buenos Aires reacted swiftly to news of the monarch’s demise, assuring the British people it shared their grief in this “painful moment.” The Argentine press expressed its open reverence, declaring the queen a “symbol of the 20th century” and describing her as someone “we knew better than our own aunts.”
But on the streets, praise for the queen’s record was clouded by lingering hurt over the 1982 war over the Falkland Islands that both countries claim as their own.
“I would have liked the queen to have returned the islands to us before she died,” said Maria Lujan Rodriguez, 51.
During the war, which lasted 74 days and left more than 900 dead - 649 Argentinian and 255 British soldiers as well as three inhabitants of the island - Elizabeth was the target of much vitriol, many say misaddressed. At the time, fans of football - a sport adopted from Britain to become all but a religion in Argentina - sang songs referring to her as “the most stupid queen.”Argentine political scientist Rosendo Fraga underlined the war had been a political decision by the government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The monarchy has no executive or policy-making power, but the queen’s public profile made her an easy target for public invective.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed King Charles in paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth’s love of “the family of nations”, as he remarked on the large number of diplomatic officials leaving their respects to the late monarch at a wreath-laying ceremony in Canberra.
Speaking inside Parliament House’s marble foyer, in brief remarks after the ceremony, Albanese noted the large number of ambassadors and embassies represented.
“It says something about the way that the Queen was admired around the world as not just our Head of State and the head of the Commonwealth, but for her enormous contribution over 70 years as the longest ever sovereign of the United Kingdom and of the Commonwealth,” he said.
Albanese, himself not a monarchist, noted the tributes paid by Australia’s new head of state, King Charles.
“It struck me in particular that his words where he said, “the affection, admiration and respect she inspired became the hallmark of her reign.” That’s why so many Australians have made moving tributes and are mourning this enormous loss,” he said.
“She was a constant, reassuring presence with her compassion, her decency, her commitment to service which is an absolute inspiration.”
“King Charles, I join with him when he thanked her for love of her family, but also the family of nations.”
Albanese last night spoke with new British PM Liz Truss, and said he would meet with her when he travelled to London for the Queen’s funeral.
“We talked about the depth of mourning that is occurring in the United Kingdom, but I also conveyed the feeling, the depth of sadness of the Australian people at the loss of Queen Elizabeth II,” he said.
After PM Albanese and Governor-General Hurley led the laying of wreaths at the Queen’s statue at Parliament House, numerous other federal MPs including Michaelia Cash, Linda Reynolds, Jane Hume and Gordon Reid followed suit.
After the politicians, dozens of members of Canberra’s diplomatic establishment paid their respects, with foreign ambassadors and representatives from embassies also laying floral tributes. Notable in the line of those laying flowers and wreaths was Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian, with tributes laid on behalf of the embassies of New Zealand, Thailand, Serbia, Singapore, Peru, Egypt and many more.
As Charles becomes Britain’s king, Associated Press has drawn up a list of the first 15 people in order of succession:
1. Prince William, the elder son of Charles and the late Princess Diana. He is married to Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge. Their three children follow him in the line of succession.
2. Prince George of Cambridge, born in July 2013.
3. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, born in May 2015.
4. Prince Louis of Cambridge, born in April 2018.
5. Prince Harry, the younger son of Charles and Diana.
6. Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, born to Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in May 2019.
7. Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, born in June 2021.
8. Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s second-eldest son.
9. Princess Beatrice, elder daughter of Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson.
10. Sienna Elizabeth, daughter of Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, born in September 2021.
11. Princess Eugenie, Andrew and Sarah’s younger daughter.
12. August Brooksbank, born to Eugenie and James Brooksbank in February 2021.
13. Prince Edward, the queen and Philip’s youngest child.
14. James, Viscount Severn, the younger child of Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
15. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, Edward and Sophie’s daughter.
A ceremony to proclaim the accession of Britain’s King Charles will take place on Saturday in Ottawa, according to the office of Canada’s governor general, Reuters has reported.
The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) at Rideau Hall, the official residence of the governor-general, the monarch’s representative in Canada.
Canada ceased being a colony of Britain in 1867, but remained in the British Empire until 1982, and is still a member of the Commonwealth of former empire countries that have the British monarch as head of state.
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Governor-General David Hurley, the Queen’s representative in Australia, has arrived at Parliament House in Canberra, to be greeted by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and finance minister Katy Gallagher. Hurley’s car drove right up to the building’s front entrance.
Walking up to the Queen’s statue on the building’s terrace in a procession, led by the Senate’s usher of the black Rod, Hurley and his wife paused for a moment to reflect. They walked forward to lay a wreath of bright yellow flowers, including wattle and sunflowers.
Albanese and Gallagher were next, laying a similar wreath of yellow and green. ACT chief minister Andrew Barr followed.
Australian Governor-General Hurley and his wife, and PM Albanese with finance minister Katy Gallagher, lay wreaths at the Queen’s statue in a ceremony at Parliament House pic.twitter.com/HAgsQQeepw
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) September 10, 2022
Speaker of the House Milton Dick was accompanied by Senate president Sue Lines to lay their wreath. Opposition leader Peter Dutton followed after.
All wreaths were laid in silence.
Australian’s federal parliament will be suspended for 15 days following the death of the Queen.
Hurley and Albanese will travel to London in coming days, where they will meet King Charles and attend the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey – to be held 10 days after her death.
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A crowd of parliamentarians and dignitaries are gathering at the Queen’s Terrace area of Canberra’s Parliament House, Australia, where a wreath-laying ceremony will take place at a statue of Queen Elizabeth.
The Queen opened the building in 1988, and the outdoor terrace atop the building’s main entrance is one of the most-visited areas by tourists. The statue notes that it was unveiled by the Queen on 9 May, 1988.
PM Albanese and Governor-General Hurley to lay a wreath at the statue of Queen Elizabeth at Parliament House in Canberra. A crowd of other parliamentarians and dignitaries assembling pic.twitter.com/ULZ428gVZX
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) September 9, 2022
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor-General David Hurley will lay wreaths at the statue, with other politicians and diplomatic officials then invited to do the same.
The ceremony will begin at 10am. We can see a number of MPs including Patrick Gorman, Sophie Scamps, Gordon Reid, Michaelia Cash, Keith Pitt, Linda Reynolds, Jane Hume, Steve Georganas already assembled, holding floral tributes.
Images from the past 24 hours, as Britain mourns Queen Elizabeth II
King Charles III pledged to serve the country “with loyalty, respect and love” in an emotional address on Friday in which he paid tribute to his mother, the Queen, saying: “May ‘flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.’”
You can read his first address to the nation in full here.
This is Rebecca Ratcliffe, taking over from my colleague Nadeem Badshah, to bring you live updates.
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The front page of Saturday’s Guardian.
Guardian front page, Saturday 10 September 2022: 'I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty and love' pic.twitter.com/AQLhq4B8cQ
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) September 9, 2022
Dolly Parton has led tributes from US artists who had the “honour” of performing for and meeting the Queen during her lengthy reign, praising her “grace and strength”.
Sharing a picture of the pair, Parton recalled their meeting more than four decades ago.
“I had the honor of meeting and performing for Queen Elizabeth II on my trip to London in 1977,” she wrote on Instagram.
“She carried herself with grace and strength her entire life.
“May she Rest In Peace. My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time. Love, Dolly.”
Diana Ross said she was happy to have performed during the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations, where she appeared alongside British talent including Sir Rod Stewart.
“Thank You to Her Majesty, The Queen,” she said.
“She devoted her life to her country and to the service of others. I am happy I was able to say thank you to Her Majesty at this year’s Platinum Jubilee.
“With love and condolences to all of her family, we all celebrate her life.”
Dionne Warwick, who performed for the Queen in 1968 said the monarch had greeted her “graciously” during their encounter.
“The transition of the Queen of England saddens me as I had the opportunity of meeting and performing for her.
“She graciously greeted me with knowledge of my recordings naming I Say A Little Prayer as a favorite.
“Condolences to her family and the citizens of the United Kingdom.”
Barbra Streisand said that the Queen had been “a constant for us all”.
“Sad to hear about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II,” she wrote.
“She was a constant for us all. Respected around the world. May she rest in peace. Barbra.”
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said 182 MPs had paid tribute to the Queen in the near-11-hour session held on Friday.
Conservative MP Louie French was the final backbencher to speak on day one with the second day of tributes in the Commons scheduled to begin at 1pm on Saturday.
Sir Lindsay said: “This is when the House is at its best, when it is united in grief that brings us together with so many stories and memories that’s been paid in such moving tributes.
“Can I say we’ve had 182 contributions and tributes today.”
Various tributes to the Queen – from a vase decorated with corgis to rosemary for remembrance – featured in the King’s historic address to the nation.
King Charles sat at an antique polished desk in Buckingham Palace’s Blue Drawing Room, one of the grand state rooms, where the Queen would sometimes film her Christmas broadcasts.
To his left was a framed photograph he chose himself of his late mother, smiling broadly and wearing a vivid blue coat and matching hat decorated with a red flower.
The picture was taken in 2010 during a visit to see the scallop industry and local food producers in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, Buckingham Palace said.
On the right, delicate white sweet peas set with sprigs of rosemary – the herb being a traditional symbol of remembrance – were placed in memory of Elizabeth II.
The posy stood in a small silver vase, at the base of which were several small, silver playful-looking corgis. The ornament was used by the Queen when she used to sit at the very same desk.
The Blue Drawing Room, designed by John Nash, is decorated with pairs of scagliola columns, painted to resemble onyx in 1860.
There are five cut-glass chandeliers, an assortment of settees, chairs and tables, and the room is often used for royal receptions.
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Here is an array of images from around the world of monuments honouring the Queen.
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Netflix series The Crown has temporarily stopped filming following the Queen’s death, according to Variety.
The publication said sources close to series creator Peter Morgan had confirmed the production of series six would pause for the time being out of respect.
Conservative MP James Wild recounted a story of when Queen Elizabeth II was told she looked just like the Queen.
The MP for North West Norfolk was speaking in the Commons as MPs paid tribute to the late monarch.
He said: “The people living in the villages around the Sandringham Estate have great affection for the Queen. She was a very special part of those close-knit communities.
“They have happy memories of encounters with the Queen, because as well as the private time she spent there, she chose to undertake many visits over the years.”
Wild added: “She was a constant and cherished part of life in west Norfolk. And perhaps surprisingly she was even able to go about her life there without fuss. Indeed famously when out shopping one day a woman remarked to her: ‘you look just like the Queen’.
“To which the Queen is said to have replied: ‘how reassuring’. Presumably with a twinkle in her eye.”
Here is a montage of other tributes shared by MPs on Friday.
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Here is a video timeline of King Charles’s first 24 hours as a monarch.
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The @KensingtonRoyal Twitter account now uses their new titles of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Kate Middleton is the first person to hold the Princess of Wales moniker since Prince William’s mother, Diana.
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The daughter of Dame Vera Lynn says her mother would have been “terribly upset” about news of the Queen’s death having known her since the late monarch’s 16th birthday.
Virginia Lewis-Jones shared a tribute on behalf of her late mother, who died in 2020, in which she praised the Queen’s “wonderful sense of humour” and constant “twinkle in her eye”.
In a statement shared with the PA news agency, Lewis-Jones, recalled her mother’s experiences with the monarch and their shared dedication to charitable work.
“I know that my Mother would have been terribly upset at Her Majesty’s passing,” the statement read.
“They had known each other since my Mother was asked to sing at Princess Elizabeth’s 16th Birthday party at Windsor.
“She felt such a close affinity with the Queen, not only because of their shared dedication to so many charities, but also of course because of their major contributions during World War 2.
“The Queen as has been mentioned, had a wonderful sense of humour, and there was always a twinkle in her eye.”
My colleague Robert Booth dissects King Charles III’s first speech to the nation.
Tears fell and hugs were shared as people gathered at impromptu memorials to the Queen across Northern Ireland.
A mural erected to mark the Platinum Jubilee on Belfast’s Shankill Road became one of the main focal points for those wanting to pay their respects.
Throughout Friday, a floral carpet below the large wall portrait of a youthful Queen spread out across the pavement.
A more recent image of the late monarch was added bearing the words “The People’s Queen is Dead”.
On Friday evening, hundreds of people gathered at the Shankill mural as bands assembled to play in tribute to the late monarch.
Presbyterian minister Mervyn Gibson addressed the crowd of around 200 people.
“There will be thousands of church services and other memorial events held over the coming days, which will be attended by millions to honour the life of our sovereign, but today we simply come together for a few moments here in east Belfast to comfort one another; to acknowledge that surprising sense of grief we feel for one who we mainly knew through the lens of the media, but yet somehow felt close to,” he said.
East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson, who also spoke at the event, said: “I think what you see today is a spontaneous display of tribute for Her Majesty in our community of east Belfast expressing their sorrow at her loss.
“It’s been strange over the last 24 hours that people almost feel a personal sense of loss, that’s the affinity that individuals in east Belfast and right throughout the United Kingdom and Commonwealth had for Her Majesty.
“It’s as if she was part of our family.”
Conservative MP Duncan Baker told the Commons how the Queen likes to place a “special delivery” every Christmas.
The MP for North Norfolk was told by a delivery driver how one year he had “forgotten the Queen’s special order and had to turn around to go back and get it himself”.
Baker told MPs he asked the driver what the order was, adding: “He (the driver) said, ‘well, every year the Queen asks us to put on the side 10 carrots and two coconuts, halved, drilled and hung with some string.
“Well, of course I looked rather quizzical at this. I wondered how the royal family would share two coconuts all round the table for their Christmas lunch and eat it from a piece of string with the husk still around it.
“But of course, I was told that what the Queen likes to do is on the cold crisp morning of Christmas day itself, she steps out from her bedroom into her private garden to hang the coconut on a tree to then retire to her bedroom to watch the birds eat the coconut herself.
“And then I said ‘what about these carrots?’ ‘Oh yes’, he said ‘they have to be particularly of a certain size, absolutely cylindrical so that they fit into the Queen’s jacket’. ‘Now what is going on with this’, ‘well, of course’, he said, ‘it’s her special treat to the royal ponies’.”
The prime minister, Liz Truss, met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on Friday evening.
Conservative former minister Rebecca Pow said her father recently died and King Charles had sent a “wonderful, personal, emotional” letter to her mother at the beginning of this week.
Pow recalled growing up on a Duchy farm and Charles making a visit, with a “treasured” photograph of the occasion held by her mother.
The MP for Taunton Deane told the Commons: “I remember that day so well, we were all invited, walking across the farm, talking about trees, cows, the countryside, everything Prince Charles was so passionate about - and the remarkable thing I also remember about the event was we had lunch together and he ate my pudding.
“I tell this story because beside that photograph is a letter that Prince Charles himself, now the King, sent to my mother just at the beginning of this week. It was a letter, and he was then Prince Charles, to my mother giving condolences for my dear father, the farmer, who died and we buried him last week.
“It was the most wonderful, personal, emotional letter remembering all the the visits to the farm that you could ever wish for, and that’s the mark of the man.
“And how sad that now the tables in literally three days have turned and now we’re offering our condolences to Prince Charles, who is now our wonderful King.”
Here is footage of the first official public rendition of God Save the King.
God Save The King:
— Royal Central (@RoyalCentral) September 9, 2022
For the first time in over 70 years, God Save The King is sung publicly.
We are in a new era.
God Save The Queen will likely never be heard again in any of our lifetimes. pic.twitter.com/eHQRk5BQ4U
The minister at the Scottish church where the Queen’s body is expected to lie in rest has told how the congregation there “gives thanks for her life of service”.
Reverend Calum MacLeod, of St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh added they were now praying for the new King, and the rest of the royal family “in these days of loss”.
Members of the royal family are also expected to attend the church, to hold a poignant vigil - known as the Vigil of the Princess - around the Queen’s coffin.
A statement from The Reverend Calum MacLeod: pic.twitter.com/jlDZSXHSgP
— St Giles' Cathedral (@StGilesHighKirk) September 9, 2022
King Charles III has pledged to serve the country “with loyalty, respect and love” in an emotional address in which he paid tribute to his mother, the Queen, saying: “May ‘flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.’”
Speaking with “feelings of profound sorrow”, he said: “Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well-lived, a promise with destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.”
In a speech that reflected his transition from heir to the throne to king, he also acknowledged his role must change.
Television cameras managed to pick up an exchange between the UK’s new prime minister Liz Truss and King Charles at Buckingham Palace earlier today.
“The moment I’ve been dreading, as I know a lot of people have,” Charles was heard saying to the prime minister as they met in the palace’s audience room.
The King was also heard appearing to say “It has been so touching this afternoon when we arrived, all those people who had come to give their condolences ... and flowers.”
Here are some more words from Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, who told the congregation at St Paul’s Cathedral: “A life lived in the service of others is a rare jewel.
It is a jewel that Her late Majesty The Queen wore as a crown.”
Dame Sarah added: “Most of us have not known life without the Queen. When she ascended to the throne, the world and the country were both very different places.
“For seven decades, Her Majesty remained a remarkable constant in the lives of millions: a symbol of unity, strength, forbearance and resilience.
“She has been this nation’s unerring heartbeat through times of progress, joy and celebration, as well as in much darker and more difficult seasons.”
Dame Sarah pointed out the Queen’s position as a much-loved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, saying: “All of us are grieving the loss of our head of state, head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
“But the royal family are grieving the loss of a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother.”
Hundreds of people gathered at a mural of the Queen on the Shankill Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as bands assembled to play in tribute to the late monarch.
The first band to play was the Pride of Ardoyne flute band who played Abide With Me and the national anthem to applause from the crowd.
The Queen felt like a “member of every one of our families”, the Commons heard, as an MP shared her belief that the Queen was a feminist.
Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, told the Commons: “Very much like the Prime Minister I was not raised in a house of monarchists and yesterday when the first news came of the Queen’s ill health I was on Bill Committee in the Security Bill.
“I was surprised by how deeply affected I felt by the news. I was extremely emotional immediately and it felt to me like that phone call that almost everybody who has lost somebody close to them gets that says ‘get here soon, now is the time’.
“That is what it felt like, and it made me reflect, why do I feel like this? It was because it feels as if the Queen was a member of everyone one of our families, even a family like mine.”
Phillips added that everyone could “find something, a story, going around at the moment, that leads to your bias” about the Queen, adding: “What I have found is that the Queen was a feminist.”
She shared two stories as examples, of the Queen asking to meet senior female judges when opening a new court building, and of her driving the crown prince of Saudi Arabia “quite roughly” around the Balmoral estate “when women in Saudi Arabia were not allowed to drive”.
The first official public rendition of God Save the King has taken place to conclude the service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
The song was sung at the service of prayer and reflection for the Queen.
Standing solemnly before Buckingham Palace, Kamala Thiagaras said she vividly remembered the day Queen Elizabeth II was married. Then a student in a Catholic church, they had cakes, biscuits and chocolate to celebrate.
“We will still remember her until we die. We were glad that we were there when she was Queen and she ruled us as we were in the Commonwealth” said Thiagaras, who is Sri Lankan.
But when speaking to her grandchildren last night after news of the Queen’s death swept across the nation, no sadness could be registered in their response, recalled Thiagaras, 80.
A notice announced the Queen’s death has been removed from the railings of Buckingham Palace.
The notice, set in a foolscap imperial-sized dark wooden frame, had remained on the gates since the Queen’s death was announced on Thursday evening.
Two members of palace staff dressed in black removed the sign on Friday evening and brought it back inside the palace.
The US president, Joe Biden, has confirmed that he will be attending the Queen’s funeral.
Asked by reporters whether he would attend the Queen’s funeral, Biden replied: “Yes.”
He added:
I don’t know what the details are yet but I’ll be going.
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The Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge will aim to “create her own path” as she takes on the role of Princess of Wales, according to a royal source.
The royal source was cited by PA news agency as saying:
The couple are focused on deepening the trust and respect of the people of Wales over time.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will approach their roles in the modest and humble way they’ve approached their work previously
The new Princess of Wales appreciates the history associated with this role but will understandably want to look to the future as she creates her own path.
The remarks came after the King confirmed William and Kate had become the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales.
There is a markedly casual intimacy inside St Paul’s Cathedral, where a service of thanksgiving is taking place, thanks largely to the presence of hundreds of members of the public who queued up for 2,000 seats that were made available on a first come, first served basis.
They include men and women of all ages, babes in arms or dozing in slings, as well as a smattering of cabinet ministers and political figures including the prime minister, but the relative lack of a figure from the ‘great and good’ mean there is a marked contrast to previous services of thanksgiving.
They have included services held for the silver, golden, diamond, and platinum jubilees as well as the 80th and 90th birthdays of Queen Elizabeth II.
The congregation listened in silence first to the voice of the new king as his first public address was relayed to the cathedral, where the prime minister, Liz Truss later delivered a second reading.
“A life lived in the service of others is a rare jewel. It is a jewel that Her Late Majesty the Queen wore as a crown,” those in the cathedral were later told in a sermon delivered by the bishop of London, Sarah Mullally.
A second reading was delivered earlier by the prime minister, Liz Truss.
“We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the lord , and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s,” Truss read from Romans 14:7-12.
Mullally later said:
Most of us have not known life without the Queen. When she acceded to the throne, the world and the country were both very different places. For seven decades, Her Majesty remained a remarkable constant in the lives of millions: a symbol of unity, strength, forbearance and resilience. She has been this nation’s unerring heartbeat through times of progress, joy and celebration, as well as in much darker and more difficult seasons.
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King Charles says to 'darling Mama': 'May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest’
The King said he “counted on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla”, who becomes his Queen Consort “in recognition of her own loyal public service”.
He ended his address with a personal note to his “darling Mama”.
He said:
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’.
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King Charles names William as new Prince of Wales
The King said his life “will of course change” as he takes up his new responsibilities as monarch.
He said his son and heir, Prince William, succeeds him as Duke of Cornwall, adding:
Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty.
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.
He said he also wanted “to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas”.
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King pledges himself to 'constitutional principles' at the 'heart of our nation'
The King pledged to uphold the “constitutional principles at the heart of our nation” as Her Majesty the Queen did “with such unswerving devotion”.
He said the “affection, admiration and respect” the Queen inspired “became the hallmark of her reign”, adding:
As every member of my family can testify, she combined these qualities with warmth, humour and an unerring ability always to see the best in people.
The King added:
Wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the Realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life.
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The Queen's 'dedication and devotion never wavered', says King Charles
Queen Elizabeth II pledged to devote her life “to the service of her peoples” on her 21st birthday in 1947, King Charles said in his address.
The King said:
That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life. She made sacrifices for duty.
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.
When the Queen came to the throne, Britain and the world “were “still coping with the privations and aftermath of the second world war, and still living by the conventions of earlier times”, he continues.
In the course of the last 70 years we have seen our society become one of many cultures and many faiths.
The institutions of the state have changed in turn. But, through all changes and challenges, our nation and the wider family of Realms – of whose talents, traditions and achievements I am so inexpressibly proud – have prospered and flourished. Our values have remained, and must remain, constant.
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King Charles has begun his televised address to the nation, paying tribute to his mother Her Majesty the Queen, who he described as “an inspiration, an example to me and to all my family”.
The King said:
Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen – my beloved mother – was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother.
He also said:
Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.
Updated
Liz Truss and her cabinet will meet the King tomorrow, Downing Street has said.
It is understood the King will hold an audience with the full cabinet tomorrow at about 2.30pm.
Meanwhile, Truss has arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral and has taken her seat on the front row for the service of prayer and reflection.
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King Charles to address nation as monarch for first time
The King is expected to make his first address to the nation as sovereign at 6pm, following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
King Charles, 73, recorded the address in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, after travelling from Balmoral Castle to London earlier today.
His pre-recorded speech will be broadcast on television at 6pm.
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Crowds braving the rain continue to arrive outside Buckingham Palace to pay their respects to Elizabeth II.
Among them this afternoon was Katie Baird who had made the journey from Worthing in Sussex with the aid of a walker.
“She was a special lady never to be seen again,” said Baird, 46, as she prepared to lay a small bouquet of flowers alongside the thousands now placed around the palace’s railings.
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Gun salutes rang out across Britain on Friday to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Ninety-six rounds were set off, with each one representing a year of the monarch’s life.
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William to take on title of Duke of Cornwall
Prince William will now take on the title of the Duke of Cornwall, the Duchy of Cornwall has confirmed.
A statement read:
It is with great sadness that we observe the demise of HM Queen Elizabeth II. HM Queen Elizabeth II took a keen interest in the Duchy of Cornwall during both the reign of her father HM King George VI and in the early years of her own reign. Together with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, she made a number of visits across the Duchy estate and attended council meetings until her son, HRH The Prince of Wales came of age as Duke of Cornwall.
The passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II and the succession of HM King Charles III marks the transition of the title of the Duke of Cornwall to HRH The Duke of Cambridge. As such, the estate is in safe hands. It is right at this time to recognise the huge changes made by our 24th Duke of Cornwall over 70 years. His Majesty passes the estate on much improved.
The official Twitter account for Prince William and Kate Middleton have been updated to display their new titles as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.
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God Save the King to be sung for the first time at tonight's service
The first official rendition of God Save the King will be sung at St Paul’s Cathedral at the end of the memorial service for the Queen.
The lyrics to the national anthem will change from “Queen” to “King” and “her victorious” to “him victorious” to mark that King Charles III is now monarch.
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The Arts Council has now moved to clarify that there will not be an impact on funding applications as a result of the mourning period for the Queen.
An email went out yesterday to individuals in the arts sector, which said that the Arts Council was reviewing its funding application-related deadlines.
The Guardian was told by the Arts Council that, following advice from government, the organisation will be continuing to undertake normal day-to-day operations.
Crucially, the Arts Council said that funding application-related deadlines will not change, and it will continue to share funding decisions with applicants directly.
This afternoon it will be updating the sector via email to confirm this and share the new guidance.
As a result of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, filming has been paused on the new series of the Netflix drama The Crown.
Peter Morgan’s award-winning series, which dramatises the lives of the British monarchy, was in the process of shooting its fifth season when the Queen’s death was announced.
“The Crown is a love letter to her and I’ve nothing to add for now, just silence and respect. I expect we will stop filming out of respect too,” he told news site Deadline, which was then confirmed by a source at Netflix. It follows a 2016 comment by one of the drama’s producers, Stephen Daldry, about the show having plans in place in the event of the monarch’s death.
“None of us know when that time will come but it would be right and proper to show respect to the Queen,” said Daldry.
It would be a simple tribute and a mark of respect. She’s a global figure and it’s what we should do.
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Mourners are beginning to take their seats in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, for the service of prayer and reflection which will begin at 6pm.
Members of the royal family are not expected to attend tonight’s service but the prime minister, Liz Truss, and London mayor, Sadiq Khan, will be there along with 2,000 members of the public.
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Leaders and monarchs from around the world will attend the Queen’s state funeral in London later this month, congregating in Westminster Abbey for a solemn gathering on a scale seldom witnessed in recent decades, Sam Jones and Kim Willsher report.
The funeral, which is expected to take place around 19 September in the same building where the Queen was crowned in 1953, will attract presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens, as well as huge crowds from home and abroad.
The US president, Joe Biden, who described the Queen as “a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons”, is reported to be among the senior world leaders who have confirmed they will pay their last respects in person.
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has also signalled his intention to attend. He told reporters on Friday that he knew the Queen and had met her twice at Buckingham Palace.
“If we find the opportunity, we would like to be present at this ceremony,” he said.
Members of Europe’s royal families, from countries including Spain, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands, will also travel to the abbey.
At least one leader, however, will be conspicuous by his absence. Although relations between the UK and Russia have been badly damaged by the latter’s invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin offered his condolences to King Charles.
“For many decades, Elizabeth II rightfully enjoyed her subjects’ love and respect as well as authority on the world stage,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
“Russians respected her for her wisdom,” but Putin’s attendance at the funeral “is not being considered”, it said.
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Boris Johnson has told the Commons he ‘choked up’ while recording a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II with the BBC.
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British football has squandered an opportunity to pay tribute to the Queen by cancelling all matches this weekend, according to the Football Supporters’ Association.
Whereas sports including cricket, golf, rugby league and rugby union are going ahead, there will be no football in England this weekend, with all matches from the Premier League to grassroots level postponed after the death of Elizabeth II on Thursday.
Schools’ football has also been suspended in England from Friday until Sunday with the English Schools’ Football Association advising its members not to play.
Professional games in Scotland have also been postponed but grassroots football will be played as normal. All matches in Wales and Northern Ireland have been called off.
The FSA, which represents fans in England and Wales, encouraged football authorities to proceed with matches so that fans could pay respect to the Queen, as they did at West Ham and Manchester United on Thursday in European competition fixtures.
But the request was rejected, bringing further congestion to a condensed fixture schedule and costing fans who have paid for travel and accommodation for matches.
“We believe football is at its finest when bringing people together at times of huge national significance – be those moments of joy or moments of mourning,” said the FSA in a statement.
Our view, which we shared with the football authorities, is that most supporters would have liked to go to games this weekend and pay their respect to the Queen alongside their fellow fans.
Not everyone will agree, so there was no perfect decision for the football authorities, but many supporters will feel this was an opportunity missed for football to pay its own special tributes.
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There was a modest collection of bouquets left outside Glasgow City Chambers, with a steady stream of people arriving to sign the condolence book that opened earlier this afternoon.
Linda Gold, 73, laid a mixed bunch of lilies and roses as she described the Queen’s death as “heartbreaking”.
There was a modest collection of bouquets left outside Glasgow City Chambers this afternoon, with a steady steam of people arriving to sign the condolence book that opened after lunch pic.twitter.com/6B0rpXZCyG
— Libby Brooks (@libby_brooks) September 9, 2022
Gold, who remembers looking at photographs of the young Elizabeth at Balmoral when she was a child, added:
I just didn’t think she’d die. She did everything for her country.
Talbach Cobain, a teacher originally from Australia, had brought her three-year-old daughter to lay a posy.
She isn’t going to be able to grow up with her like I did, so I wanted to bring her. It’s just a very sad day, and a historic day.
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King Charles holds first in-person audience with Liz Truss
The King has held his first in-person audience with prime minister Liz Truss at Buckingham palace.
Truss was pictured arriving at the palace for her first weekly meeting with the new monarch.
From ITV News’ Chris Ship:
The new Prime Minister Liz Truss has just had her first audience of the new King, Charles III.
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) September 9, 2022
This is her car leaving Buckingham Palace a short while ago.#KingCharles pic.twitter.com/x9oC1nSIdN
In a tribute to the Queen, former prime minister Theresa May shared an anecdote of a picnic at Balmoral where she dropped some cheese in front of the late monarch.
May told MPs in the House of Commons:
I remember one picnic at Balmoral, which was taking place in one of the bothies on the estate. The hampers came from the castle, and we all mucked in to put the food and drink out on the table.
I picked up some cheese, put it on a plate and was transferring it to the table. The cheese fell on the floor. I had a split-second decision to make.
She went on:
I picked up the cheese, put it on the plate and put it on the table. I turned round to see that my every move had been watched very carefully by Her Majesty the Queen.
I looked at her. She looked at me and she just smiled. And the cheese remained on the table.
The Queen was “quite simply the most remarkable person I have ever met”, the Conservative former prime minister said.
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Concern has been expressed after workers in the arts sector were told by the Arts Council in England that it is reviewing its funding application-related deadlines as it awaits further information on the public mourning period following the death of the Queen.
There were worries that delays would have a serious impact on people’s livelihoods if there were delays meant that key funding applications as part of funding rounds.
An email sent out by Darren Henley, chief executive of the Arts Council England, said that it was getting in touch with stakeholders “to let you know about our response to this sad news if it may be of use to you.”
He added:
From now, all our planned communications (media, speeches, emails, events, social media, blogs and website updates) will be paused, and we are reviewing our funding application-related deadlines, as we await further information on the public mourning period from our Government Sponsor department, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
We will be in touch once we have more details to share about Government’s public mourning period, and how we will be marking it as a public body with a Royal Charter.
Callers to the Arts Council customer department were told that a delay could affect decisions on support such as an initiative known as Developing your Creative Practice, which This programme is made possible thanks to National Lottery players, who raise £30m for Good Causes each week.
Rounds for the programme usually open a month at a time and one which had just been launched is due to close in October.
Daniel York Loh, an Associate Artistic Director, actor and writer, said on Twitter that he was “absolutely baffled” by the email.
I’m fervently NOT a monarchist but I can kind of see the thinking behind cancelling a few public events as a mark of respect. But Arts Council shutting up shop and delaying decisions on funding that people absolutely depend on?
Touching messages have been left in the books of condolence that have opened at City Hall in Cardiff.
Touching messages in the books of condolence that have opened at city hall in Cardiff. pic.twitter.com/B432FSHPfZ
— steven morris (@stevenmorris20) September 9, 2022
One well-wisher wrote: “A constant in my life”, another: “The world and I will miss your enchanting smile and wonderfully coloured clothing.” One former member of the armed services wrote: “I was proud to have served you ma’am.”
Gillian Lewis, 46, from Newport, left the message: “Thank you so much for bringing so much joy to my grandmother – you were her idol.”
After writing her note, she explained:
The Queen was an idol for my grandmother, Hilda. She brought her a lot of joy over the years. It brings back a lot of childhood memories for me and memories of my grandmother. She styled herself on the Queen – had the same hair and everything. We loved the jubilee celebrations this year; it was nice we had those. I asked my 12-year-old daughter, Erin, this morning what she thought. When she thought about it, she said a figurehead has gone, it’s a moment in history.
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The King to address the nation at 6pm
King Charles will deliver his first nationwide address as Britain’s new monarch at 6pm, Buckingham Palace said.
The message will be recorded in the palace’s blue drawing room this afternoon. The speech will then be broadcast to the nation at 6pm.
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All wristbands for this evening’s service of prayer and reflection for the Queen at St Paul’s Cathedral have been distributed, a cathedral spokesperson said.
The service will take place at the cathedral at 6pm, with 2,000 spaces available for members of the public. Anyone wishing to attend must have a wristband.
All 2,000 wristbands were distributed to members of the public within three hours, the spokesperson said.
The King was greeted by thousands of mourners and well-wishers as he arrived at Buckingham Palace this afternoon, including one member of the public who planted a kiss on his cheek.
📷 And here is the moment one lady in the crowd reached and and kissed King Charles on the cheek… 😘#KingCharles #QueenElizabeth https://t.co/pnuXuns08n pic.twitter.com/aihTQ9r2Fn
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) September 9, 2022
Royal standard raised over Buckingham Palace
The royal standard has been raised above Buckingham Palace for the first time during the King’s reign.
All official flags must be flown at half-mast following the death of Her Majesty the Queen until the day following her funeral, according to government guidance.
Only the royal standard, flown when the sovereign is in residence at a royal palace, will remain in its usual position, the government states.
The guidance states:
The royal standard is never flown at half-mast even after the death of a monarch, as there is always a sovereign on the throne and it would therefore be inappropriate for it to fly at half-mast. The union flag will be flown at half mast on all royal residences.
Royal Standard just raised above Buckingham Palace for the first time for King Charles III. #QueenElizabeth pic.twitter.com/NY873aOYhj
— Emma Burrows (@EJ_Burrows) September 9, 2022
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The principal of Gordonstoun, King Charles’s old school in the north east of Scotland, has shared her recollections of the Queen and Prince Philip watching their sons on stage or on the sports field.
Lisa Kerr, said:
Queen Elizabeth II will be fondly remembered. We remember our late Queen sitting alongside Prince Philip in seats reserved with pieces of paper which simply said, ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’.
She visited the school regularly and our students also saw her at the Braemar Gathering, a highland games event which she attended every year. We will always remember her warm support for Gordonstoun and we send our heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of when 13-year-old Charles started to attend the boarding school in Moray, which he later described as “Colditz with kilts” because of his lonely experiences there.
Dozens of tourists from across the world are outside Edinburgh’s St Giles’ cathedral, where preparations are underway for a service for the Queen that will be attended by members of the royal family this weekend.
One group of Italian tourists, on their first visit to Britain, were taking pictures of themselves posing with national newspaper front pages marking the Queen’s death.
“It’s an historic day. We are participating in this event. It’s very strange, very strange,” said Matteo Messina, 30, from near Milan.
The group of six were visiting Loch Ness, about 50 miles from Balmoral castle when the Queen passed away yesterday. Yet it was only when friends in Italy text them to say the Queen had died that they realised they were so close to a moment of global significance.
“The Queen is important for us. We have grown up with the Queen,” said Jessica Farinelli, 35.
We are part of this story. It’s strange for us this situation. It’s such a historical day. I remember Diana, and we know about Harry and Meghan. We love the story of the family.
Italian tourists on their first trip to Britain take pictures of themselves with national newspapers outside St Giles’ cathedral. They were visiting Loch Ness yesterday when friends in Italy told them the Queen had died. pic.twitter.com/BkHUTtOq3C
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) September 9, 2022
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, paid an unscheduled visit to the British Embassy in Paris to sign a book of condolence in tribute to the Queen.
The British ambassador to France, Menna Rawlings, tweeted in French:
I warmly thank President Emmanuel Macron for his visit to the British residence today to pay homage to Her Majesty the Queen in the name of the French people. His words and declarations have touched us deeply and gone straight to our hearts.
Je remercie chaleureusement le Président @EmmanuelMacron pour sa visite aujourd'hui au sein de la Résidence britannique afin de rendre hommage à Sa Majesté la Reine au nom du peuple français.
— Menna Rawlings (@MennaRawlings) September 9, 2022
Ses mots et sa déclaration nous ont beaucoup touchés et ils nous vont droit au cœur. pic.twitter.com/s94sDNGkSS
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Some more details about Camilla from the royal website:
The Queen Consort was born Camilla Rosemary Shand on 17th July 1947 at King’s College Hospital London, the daughter of Major Bruce Middleton Hope Shand and the Hon Rosalind Maud Shand (nee Cubitt).
Major Shand and the Hon Rosalind Cubitt, the daughter of 3rd Baron Ashcombe, married on 2nd January 1946 at St Paul’s, Knightsbridge.
[…]
The Queen Consort was first educated at Dumbrells School, in Sussex, and then at Queen’s Gate School in South Kensington. She also attended Mon Fertile school in Switzerland and studied at the Institut Britannique in Paris.
[…]
Since her marriage to The King in 2005, The Queen Consort has become Patron or President of over 90 charities. Her Majesty’s charity work is varied but several themes prevail: health and well-being, promoting literacy, the arts, animal welfare and supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault.
[…]
On 9th April 2012, Buckingham Palace announced that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had appointed The Duchess of Cornwall, as she was formerly known, to be a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO).Her Majesty has five grandchildren and five step-grandchildren.
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Camilla now known as Her Majesty the Queen Consort
Camilla’s title of Queen Consort has been updated on the royal website, confirming that she will be known as Her Majesty.
The website states:
Her Majesty The Queen Consort (formerly HRH The Duchess of Cornwall) supports her husband, formerly The Prince of Wales, now His Majesty The King, in carrying out his work and duties. She also undertakes public engagements on behalf of the charities that she supports.
My colleague Daniel Boffey, has written about the journey of Camilla to Buckingham Palace.
Once vilified as a marriage wrecker – not least by Diana, Princess of Wales – Queen Camilla, as she will be crowned, will take her place by the side of King Charles III at his coronation.
It had been Queen Elizabeth II’s “sincere wish”, stressed in a message published on the eve of her 70th accession day in February this year, that Charles’s wife would be known on his accession to the throne as Queen Consort.
It is the same title afforded to Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI, who on the monarch’s death was given the title of Queen Mother.
“When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife, Camilla, the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service”, the Queen wrote.
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The King meets well-wishers at Buckingham Palace
More pictures have emerged of the new King viewing floral tributes to his mother and meeting well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace:
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Hundreds of people attended the 96-round gun salute at Cardiff Castle as heavy rain stopped just in time for the ceremony, reports Steven Morris.
A 96-gun salute is fired at Cardiff Castle to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth. Photographed for @guardian with @stevenmorris20 pic.twitter.com/dRLP3ezjcb
— Sam Frost (@SamFrostPhotos) September 9, 2022
Those attending ranged from people who had come from many miles to pay their respects to others who had paused shopping trips to be present an historic moment. Some frailer people were pushed into the castle grounds in wheelchairs; younger ones were held in parents’ arms as the shots rang out.
Jenna Mulheron, 38, from Cardiff, a security officer, laid flowers and carried a union flag. “I live in Cardiff but was born and bred Scottish,” she said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for the Queen. I love the royals, I’ve been to all the castles. My favourite history in school was the Tudors. It’s a sentimental thing. I’ll try to go London to try to go to the funeral.”
After the salute, the crowd broke into a spontaneous round of applause.
PhD student Lucy Maybury, 24, said: “It’s a momentous occasion. The Queen was fondly thought of in Wales, the mother, the grandmother to the nation.”
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How will the new court of King Charles function? Our social affairs correspondent Robert Booth explores the “quiet revolution” that could now take place.
Here’s a snippet:
A slimmed down monarchy led by a king staying true to his lifelong passions and living at a palace with its doors thrown open to the public: these are just two predictions for the court of King Charles made during his record-breaking 73-year wait to be crowned.
The new leader of the royal family and head of state of 15 realms from the UK to Australia via Tuvalu and Jamaica carries a legacy of strident public interventions which will have to be handled carefully to avoid any impression of tensions with parliament or diplomatic partners abroad.
He has railed against rainforest depletion, argued in favour of complementary medicine and during the 2013 Ukraine crisis he was on trip to Canada when he told a 78-year-old Jewish woman who had fled the Nazis that Vladimir Putin was “doing just about the same as Hitler”.
But he and his advisers have long said he knows the constitutional difference between being head of state and heir to the throne and his new leadership will aim to project continuity with the reign of the widely loved Queen Elizabeth, something bolstered by Charles’s decades of support of his mother and a steady revival in public regard for him since the death of Princess Diana in 1997.
“Clearly I won’t be able to do the same things I have done as heir so of course you operate in the constitutional parameters,” he told a BBC interviewer in 2018. Asked if his campaigning would continue in the same way he said: “No it won’t. I’m not that stupid. I do realise it is a separate exercise being sovereign”.
You can read the full piece here:
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The King and Queen have surveyed some of the vast number of bouquets that have been laid outside the railings of Buckingham Palace.
A little moment where King Charles appeared unsure which gate he should enter the palace through, but now aides have directed him along the pavement and through the main gates on foot.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have entered Buckingham Palace.
— Eostre (@NorthernEostre) September 9, 2022
The crowd were cheering as the couple looked at the flowers against the Palace railings. pic.twitter.com/c4zfBndoGF
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The new King Charles III is greeting wellwishers who have been waiting outside Buckingham Palace.
He is accompanied by Camilla, the Queen consort
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The King arrives at Buckingham Palace
A huge cheer rings out as King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive at Buckingham Palace.
— Royal Central (@RoyalCentral) September 9, 2022
“God Save The King” the crowd shout. pic.twitter.com/nRNcCgsBby
The King has arrived at Buckingham Palace with Camilla, the Queen Consort. Charles smiled as he got out of his vehicle and went over to the crowds of waiting mourners, giving them thanks for their support and presence.
Some in the crowd shouted: “God Save the King”, but people are generally subdued, offering their condolences.
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Climate protests planned for this weekend have been cancelled, with groups anxious not to be labelled insensitive after the Queen’s death, writes my colleague Damien Gayle.
On Saturday, Extinction Rebellion had been due to occupy Hyde Park for a three-day “festival of resistance”. But on Thursday night the climate activist group circulated a statement saying the protest was cancelled.
“Due to [the] news about the passing of Queen Elizabeth, the decision has been made to postpone this weekend’s planned Festival of Resistance in London until further notice,” the group said in a statement.
Ongoing protests by Animal Rebellion targeting dairy distribution centres in the Midlands and the south of England have also been paused, the Guardian was told.
According to a source in the group members of the group voted to pause actions “for a little while”, although plans for mass protest in London in October were still expected to go ahead.
“Ending new fossil fuel production would be the only fitting memorial to Queen Elizabeth II,” Just Stop Oil, the civil disobedience group whose supporters have targeted oil terminals, tweeted.
In a Twitter thread, Just Stop Oil continued: “We recognise the significance of the Queen to many people in this country, however, for all us who remain, the climate catastrophe carries on. The cost of living crisis carries on. The lives of millions across the Commonwealth and beyond are threatened.
“Just Stop Oil will continue in peaceful civil resistance until the government agrees to end new oil and gas. Join us and many others on October 1st to protect our country, to protect those who can’t eat or heat and those around the world who are suffering and dying right now.”
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Trevor Skerritt, 59, from Guilford, says he felt drawn to come to Windsor to pay his respects because of what he believes the Queen represents.
“For most of us, she’s been the only monarch we have known,” Skerritt says. “She has given us solidity, she’s kept the royal family going through thick and thin.”
But Skerritt adds that he doesn’t believe it is all sad. “She lived to 96, and she’s lived a good life,” Skerritt adds.
She’s quite an impressive person – for most people when they think of the royal family they don’t just think of any monarch, but they picture Elizabeth II. She’s kind of been here forever so it’s a big change in the country’s structure.
Ewa, 60, originally from Sweden but who lives locally in Windsor, says that as well to pay her respects today, she came to the centre of Windsor on Thursday when she heard there were concerns for the Queen’s health.
“I came here yesterday before she passed because I wanted to give encouragement, and I’ve come today to pay my respects,” she says.
Ewa adds that regarding the Queen’s death she has mixed emotions. “I guess it was expected but not accepted,” she says.
I kind of expected that with her age, it may have been time for her to go and be with Phillip. But at the same time, it’s difficult to accept. It feels strange to say that we have a king now. She was not only a queen to Britain, but it felt like she was the world’s queen too.
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The King has left RAF Northolt by car and is heading towards Buckingham Palace.
King Charles has been pictured arriving in London for the first time since becoming monarch.
He and Camilla were photographed in a royal Bentley after their plane touched town at RAF Northolt.
The King seen getting out of the plane at RAF Northolt:
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The plane carrying the King was watched by over 150,000 people on a flight tracking website as it landed.
According to FlightRadar24, 153,000 users were tracking flight KRH20R as it touched down at RAF Northolt at 1.35pm.
Members of the public broke into a spontaneous round of applause at the end of a 96-round military salute for the Queen in Edinburgh.
The city fell to almost complete silence as three cannons fired 96 rounds, one for each year of the Queen’s life, from the turrets of Edinburgh’s famous.
The loud crack of gunfire seemed to reverberate from Castle Rock across the city’s Royal Mile, where security has been tightened ahead of the Queen’s coffin arriving at the Palace of Holyroodhouse from Balmoral this weekend.
Round of applause for the 96-round salute for the Queen from Edinburgh castle. The city fell almost completely silent for the military tribute, which lasted almost 20 minutes. pic.twitter.com/6RrPVtBsrH
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) September 9, 2022
Jan White, 56, was one of hundreds of people who stopped to watch the gun salute from the busy Princes street.
“It was moving, it was touching,” she said.
I just can’t believe how quickly she went – after just hearing yesterday and then suddenly there she was, dead, the same day. It’s so sad.
White, a civil servant who was born in London but moved to Edinburgh 25 years ago to study, said she “loved” the Queen and that it would take time to adjust to the reign of King Charles III.
“It’s quite hard to imagine Britain without a Queen because we’ve all grown up with her and suddenly that’s it - it’s over,” she said.
I think it will take a while to adjust. Now that she’s gone who knows what will happen to the monarchy.
White said she believed there should “absolutely” still be a royal family with an unelected head of state because of the benefits to Britain from tourism and global influence: “We’re the envy of the world. We’ve got something a lot of places haven’t got.”
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Two monks from the Theravada Buddhist centre in Aberdeen, dressed in orange-brown robes, took a bouquet of sunflowers to Balmoral’s gates on Friday.
Sujan, 45, a monk originally from Nepal, said:
The Queen is significant and important for all of us - her 70 years of work, of dedication and determination for the betterment of people.
After the Second World War, the country was in a difficult time. She was a figurehead, someone you can trust. You can’t trust politicians.
The collection of flowers at #Balmoral’s gate is deepening and growing, with a rich scent in the air #Queen #QueenElizabethII pic.twitter.com/UYJfwpFGlN
— Severin Carrell (@severincarrell) September 9, 2022
King Charles lands in London
A plane carrying the King has landed at RAF Northolt in west London.
The plane carrying the King and the Queen consort landed at RAF Northolt in west London at around 1.34pm, having earlier departed from Aberdeen international airport.
King Charles is due to meet the prime minister, Liz Truss, ahead of his first address to the nation.
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Church bells tolled across the nation to mark the death of the Queen.
Bells tolled at midday at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Windsor Castle with churches across the country following suit.
The Church of England had sent out guidance to parish churches, chapels and cathedrals encouraging them to toll their bells or open for prayer or special services following the announcement from Buckingham Palace.
Guidance recommended tolling muffled bells for an hour from midday on Friday.
Church bells will be tolled across England from noon following the death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
— The Church of England (@churchofengland) September 9, 2022
Find out where you can hear the bells in your local area, at https://t.co/0kPhbnfIJk.
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Formal proclamation of King Charles III to be televised in TV first
The accession council will be televised for the first time in history, Clarence House has confirmed.
Buckingham Palace earlier announced that the council would officially proclaim King Charles III in the state apartments of St James’s Palace at 10am on Saturday.
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Just outside the gates of Windsor Castle, many people have gathered from across the country to pay their respects to Elizabeth II.
One such person was Beryl McAvoy from Ealing, who had also come to the same spot 25 years ago to lay flowers after the death of Princess Diana.
“Thinking of the Queen, she was simply beautiful”, she said.
She’s always been there for everybody. It seems strange that she is not here anymore, it’s been a long time.
McAvoy, who was 11 when Elizabeth II was crowned, said that she initially found it difficult to accept the news she had died.
“I didn’t believe it at first, it was really sad,” she said. “But she died peacefully, she wasn’t in pain or anything which was nice, although she was getting frail”.
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First in the queue at Cardiff Castle for the 96-round gun salute was Sara Rees, a radiographer who was waiting patiently in the rain with her cockapoo, Teddy.
Members of the public wait to pay their respects at Cardiff Castle and for the 96-round salute this afternoon. Photographed for @guardian with @stevenmorris20 pic.twitter.com/lGWVF5y8wq
— Sam Frost (@SamFrostPhotos) September 9, 2022
She said:
I’ve come to pay my respects. I first saw the Queen in 1977 at the time of her silver jubilee. She came to Neath when I was 11. She opened a leisure centre, visited a factory and then she went to Margam Park. We all had a day off school and went and saw her. Later I saw at the Royal Welsh Show, she used to go there on the Wednesday. I think everyone loved her. She’s the only queen we’ll ever have in our lives. I was really sad when I heard last night.
People of all ages and nationalities were at the castle, among them South Africans Dylan Teixeira and Jaden Hanson-White, who are studying in the UK and Ireland. Hanson-White said:
This is a moment in history. Obviously we’re very sad. We were in the movie theatre when we heard. My cousin messaged on my family group that the Queen had passed. I was totally gobsmacked. She reached the world. One of her first speeches was in Cape Town. ”
Teixeira said:
I’m sad. She was a strong person, a role model but also interested in the history of it all, how it works.
Ashley Manuel and Jasmine Maniraj from Reading took their daughters, Stefna and Sabrina along. Stefna said:
It’s really sad she passed away, we were expecting her reign to last longer.
Sabrina said:
I expected her to live to 99 or 100 years.
Updated
Liz Truss will meet King Charles for the first time since the death of the Queen on Friday afternoon.
The prime minister is expected to go to Buckingham Palace for an audience with the King after his arrival in London from Scotland.
After his meeting with Truss, who has been in office for only four days, the King is expected to give a televised address to the nation.
Truss is unlikely to make a speech on Friday but will give a reading at a service to commemorate the Queen at St Paul’s Cathedral which is scheduled to take place at 6pm.
Much government business has been suspended, but Truss started the day with a cabinet meeting where ministers paid tribute to the Queen and spoke of their recollections of meeting her, before observing a moment of silence.
She is later likely to hold calls with international leaders who wish to express sympathy with the British people.
Updated
Prince William leaves Balmoral to travel back to Windsor
The Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge, who is a privy counsellor, is travelling back to Windsor to be with his family ahead of the accession council, Kensington Palace has said.
Updated
The loss of the Queen “robs our country of its stillest point, its greatest comfort, at precisely a time when we need those things most”, Keir Starmer has said.
Paying tribute to the Queen in the Commons, the Labour leader said:
Our Queen’s commitment to us, her life of public service, was underpinned by one crucial understanding, that the country she came to symbolise is bigger than any one individual or any one institution.
It is the sum total of all our history and all of endeavours and it will endure.
The late Queen would have wanted us to redouble our efforts, to turn our collar up and face the storm, to carry on. Most of all she would want us to remember that it is in these moments that we must pull together.
The reason our loss feels so profound is not because she stood at the head of our country for 70 years but because, in spirit, she stood amongst us.
The Bank of England has postponed next week’s meeting of its monetary policy committee.
The Bank said in a statement:
In light of the period of national mourning now being observed in the United Kingdom, the September 2022 meeting of the monetary policy committee has been postponed for a period of one week.
The new rates decision will be announced on 22 September instead.
Updated
Gun salutes being fired in tribute to the Queen
Gun salutes aretaking place in tribute to the Queen in London, around the UK and abroad.
One round will be fired every 10 seconds, with 96 to represent each year of the monarch’s life.
Gun salutes are being held in tribute to the Queen in Hyde Park, London https://t.co/n4EqZwYqsD
— PA Media (@PA) September 9, 2022
Gun salutes are taking place in locations including Cardiff Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Hillsborough Castle, York, Portsmouth and Gibraltar.
Updated
Boris Johnson has said he “choked up” when the BBC asked him to record a tribute to the Queen.
The former prime minister told the Commons the broadcaster had asked him to talk about the Queen in the past tense a few months ago.
He said:
I am afraid I simply choked up and I couldn’t go on. I am really not easily moved to tears, but I was so overcome with sadness that I had to ask them to go away.
I know that today there are countless people in this country and around the world who have experienced the same sudden unexpected emotion.
Updated
A steady stream of people wanting to pay their respects to the Queen made their way to Edinburgh’s Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the monarch in Scotland.
The crowds were not huge, nor were they small. Some wanted to lay flowers, many wanted to photograph the official notice of the Queen’s death pinned to a metal gate. Others just felt they had to be there, even for just a few minutes.
Crowds gather at Holyrood Palace, some laying flowers, others queuing to see the official notice pinned to a gate. pic.twitter.com/7vxHLMDsE5
— Mark Brown (@markbrown14) September 9, 2022
Michelle Ford, a health worker from Edinburgh, remembered going as a child to her uncle’s house on the Royal Mile and watching the Queen from his balcony.
She was a great woman who served her country and the commonwealth and she never faltered. She means a lot to me. Like me she’s a mother and a grandmother.
I was very upset when I heard the news, I was crying. Watching her through the years just brings a lot of things back.
Jules Attenborough, a teacher, said the Queen was a beautiful person who had “served the nation so well”. She added:
She has just always been there, hasn’t she. She is the one person who has managed to unite this country.
In Scotland there is a massive affection for her which I don’t think there is for other members of the royal family.
One of the first to arrive on Friday morning was Andrew Anderson, a council worker, who had set off at 5.30am from Balloch, Alexandria to lay flowers at the palace fence.
She has been a constant in my whole life, she’s all I’ve known. Thankfully we celebrated her jubilee, with a street party. I heard the news yesterday and I thought I have to go. I thought Balmoral would be too busy, I thought we’re not going to get close so I came here.
When I heard I just felt lost. It’s a common phrase when people say the world is a sadder place without her but it’s true. It is quite moving.
Mourners start to arrive at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, one of the first is Andrew Anderson. “She was a constant in my life, I had to come.” pic.twitter.com/vV9MKBr9wX
— Mark Brown (@markbrown14) September 9, 2022
Updated
The Queen “did not simply reign over us, she lived alongside us”, Keir Starmer has said.
Paying tribute to the Queen in the Commons, the Labour leader said:
For the 70 glorious years of her reign, our Queen was at the heart of this nation’s life.
She did not simply reign over us, she lived alongside us, she shared in our hopes and our fears, our joy, and our pain. Our good times and our bad.
All our thoughts are with her beloved family, our royal family, at this moment of profound grief.
This is a deep and private loss for them, yet it’s one we all share because Queen Elizabeth created a special, personal relationship with us all.
That relationship was built on the attributes that defined her reign: her total commitment to service and duty, a deep devotion to the country, the Commonwealth, and the people she loved. In return for that, we loved her.
Updated
A gun salute will be fired at 1pm at Hyde Park, the Tower of London and locations around the country to mark the death of the Queen.
A round will be fired every ten seconds, with 96 representing each year of the Queen’s life. Other salutes will take place at Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Colchester, York and at naval bases.
Gun salutes are fired as a sign of respect or welcome, particularly on royal anniversaries and when a visiting head of state meets the monarch.
The tradition dates back centuries. There are historical records of salutes taking place as early as the 14th century when guns began to be adopted widely. Similar salutes were fired to mark the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and Winston Churchill in 1965.
Updated
King Charles leaves Aberdeen international airport
The King has left Aberdeen international airport for London. He had arrived with the Queen consort in the early afternoon from Balmoral.
He was wearing a dark suit and was carrying what appeared to be a folder or file as he made his way towards the plane. He stopped to shake hands and chat to people before boarding his flight.
Updated
Liz Truss pays tribute to 'great leader' Queen Elizabeth II
The prime minister spoke of a “heartfelt outpouring of grief” as MPs sat to pay tribute to the Queen.
Addressing the House of Commons, she said:
In the hours since last night’s shocking news, we have witnessed the most heartfelt outpouring of grief at the loss of Her late Majesty the Queen.
Crowds have gathered, flags have been lowered to half-mast, tributes have been sent from every continent around the world.
She added:
On the death of her father King George VI, Winston Churchill said the news had stilled the clatter and traffic of 20th century life in many lands.
Now, 70 years later in the tumult of the 21st century, life has paused again. Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known.
For more live updates from the Commons, here is our UK politics blog:
Updated
King Charles to be officially proclaimed at accession council tomorrow
The King will officially be proclaimed at the accession council at 10am on Saturday in the state apartments of St James’s Palace, Buckingham Palace has said.
A statement read:
The Accession Council will be followed by the Principal Proclamation, which will be read at 11am from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James’s Palace.
The Proclamation will be read by Garter King of Arms, accompanied by the Earl Marshal, other Officers of Arms and the Serjeants at Arms.
This is the first public reading of the Proclamation.
A second proclamation will be read in the City of London, at the Royal Exchange, at midday.
Further proclamations will be read in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales at midday on Sunday.
In recognition of the new Sovereign, flags will be flown at full-mast from the time of the principal proclamation at St James’s Palace until one hour after the proclamations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, after which flags will return to half-mast in mourning for the death of the Queen.
Updated
MPs have observed a minute’s silence in memory of the Queen in the House of Commons chamber.
Prime minister Liz Truss paid tribute to the Queen, describing her as “one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known”.
Truss said:
On the death of her father King George VI, Winston Churchill said the news had stilled the clatter and traffic of 20th century life in many lands.
Now 70 years later in the tumult of the 21st century life has paused again. Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known.
For more live updates from the Commons, here is our UK politics blog.
Updated
With the sun breaking through the rain clouds on Friday morning, the lord mayor of Manchester, Donna Ludford, and leader of the city council, Bev Craig, visited St Ann’s Square to lay flowers and sign the book of condolences.
Lord Mayor of Manchester @donnaludford and leader of the city council @bevcraig are laying flowers in St Anne’s Square and signing the book of condolences. They are calling on Mancunians to “come together at this dark and somber time, as they always do”. pic.twitter.com/NddbZwaqIo
— Soph Zeldin-O'Neill (@Sophie_ZO) September 9, 2022
Craig said:
The Queen was a true friend of Manchester, who had been there for Mancunians in good times and bad, and the city will remember her fondly.”
Ludford called her a “stoic woman” who “conducted herself with great dignity”.
Craig added:
In a divided society, we hope that the principles she embodied will help bind us together as we move into the next chapter.
Updated
Service of prayer and reflection to be held at 6pm at St Paul's Cathedral
A service of prayer and reflection on the death of the Queen will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral in London at 6pm today.
Members of the royal family are not expected to attend the service which will be open to the public and broadcast live by the BBC.
Some 2,000 seats will be allocated to the public on a first come first served basis. Those wishing to attend must visit in person the City of London tourism office on Carter Lane to collect a wristband from 11am.
Audio of King Charles III’s televised address to the nation will be played inside the cathedral if it coincides with the service.
At Friday evening’s service, Andrew Tremlett, Dean Designate of St Paul’s Cathedral, will deliver the bidding. Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, as Dean of the Chapels Royal, will deliver the address, and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will deliver the blessing.
Martin Ford, acting sub-organist, will play before the service, while Will Fox, acting organist and assistant director of music, will play during the service. St Paul’s Cathedral Choir, conducted by Andrew Carwood, will sing.
Prime minister Liz Truss and London mayor Sadiq Khan are expected to attend.
Updated
France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, has paid tribute to the Queen, saying “we all feel an emptiness” following news of her death.
In a video tribute, Macron said:
Millions of people around the world discovered the images of her coronation and were immediately captivated by the young leader who already exhibited such strength and courage. The courage of life marked by the war and soon the courage to uphold, from one century to the next, the values of freedom and tenacity. Her rare and powerful words, her unwavering dignity made her constant symbol of the United Kingdom.
To you, she was your Queen.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) September 9, 2022
To us, she was The Queen.
She will be with all of us forever. pic.twitter.com/PaL1DRmlHK
France was “grateful for her deep affection” for the country, he said:
Elizabeth II mastered our language, loved our culture, and touched our hearts.
Macron added:
To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was the Queen. To us all, she would be with us forever.
Updated
The Premier League has announced all matches this weekend will be postponed as a mark of respect to the Queen.
In a statement, it said:
At a meeting this morning, Premier League clubs paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. To honour her extraordinary life and contribution to the nation, and as a mark of respect, this weekend’s Premier League match round will be postponed, including Monday evening’s game.
Further updates regarding Premier League fixtures during the period of mourning will be provided in due course.
As a mark of respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, this weekend’s Premier League match round will be postponed.
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 9, 2022
Key event
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has arrived back in London.
The prince left Balmoral alone at about 8.15am this morning, and was pictured at Aberdeen airport before boarding a flight.
His British Airways flight landed at Heathrow airport at 11.32am.
Updated
Guns and military personnel have arrived at Cardiff Castle before a 96-round salute taking place at 1pm. Police outriders stopped traffic in the city centre to allow the convoy to swing through the gates.
An Army convoy bringing guns arrives at Cardiff Castle before a salute later today following the death of the Queen. Photographed for @guardian with @stevenmorris20. pic.twitter.com/SSivkV3EN3
— Sam Frost (@SamFrostPhotos) September 9, 2022
Meanwhile, Welsh pop royalty has paid tribute to the Queen. Sir Tom Jones said:
Queen Elizabeth II was a constant presence and inspiration throughout my life. She was a reassuring force in difficult times.
Dame Shirley Bassey:
There is a reason why Her Majesty was admired not just at home but across the world. Through triumph and adversity, her devotion to our country has spanned eras of unprecedented change. In all that time she remained steadfast, dignified, inspirational. Her courage was mighty, her example iconic.
Updated
King Charles leaves Balmoral
The King and Queen Consort have left Balmoral Castle and are en route to Aberdeen airport, where they are expected to fly back to London.
Updated
Fiona Robertson feels she grew up with the royal family. As a child growing up in Tarland, a village 19 miles from Balmoral, the Queen was a fixture of their summers on Deeside.
“When you live around her, you have a very different relationship with the royal family than people in other parts of the world,” she said.
When we were in primary school, we used to go alongside the road, and have a picnic when they arrived. They would always come and open things. It’s just part of your life. We just knew they were up here in the summer.
Robertson, 54, who runs the Sounds contemporary music festival in Aberdeen, was one of the hundreds of people, some driving for several hours, who arrived at Balmoral’s gates on Friday morning to lay flowers as the rain fell, heavily at times. Some came with friends, others with grandchildren, some with their children before school started, and others on their own. Some were Buddhist monks.
The first well-wishers had arrived to lay flowers at Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s granite bridge leading over the Dee river, swollen with rain, as dusk fell on Thursday evening, ignoring the dire weather and darkness.
By Friday morning, the police had closed off verges on the A93 trunk road which runs past the estate and imposed a 20mph speed limit.
Graham Cameron, 60, had driven for two hours from the port town of Buckie on the north sea coast with one of his sons, to lay flowers, wearing his jubilee medal. A former City of London police officer who had been on duty at Threadneedle Street on the night of the IRA’s bomb attack on the Baltic Exchange in 1992, Cameron said:
She was my Queen.
In Bangkok, the Thai flag has been lowered to half-mast in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. It will remain at half-mast for three days.
ทำเนียบรัฐบาลลดธงครึ่งเสา แสดงความอาลัยการเสด็จสวรรคตของ สมเด็จพระราชินีนาถเอลิซาเบธที่ 2 pic.twitter.com/75Wh6orNkr
— Duangthip_ThaiPBS (@duangtip_TPBS) September 9, 2022
In a statement to British prime minister, Liz Truss, Thailand’s acting prime minister, Prawit Wongsuwan, offered his deepest condolences:
Her Majesty’s tireless compassion and dedication to the United Kingdom and the global community throughout 70 years of Her Majesty’s reign has been praised and admired all over and will always be remembered. Her Majesty’s trips to Thailand in 1972 and 1996 will be cherished and remain in our hearts. During this moment of bereavement, our thoughts and prayers are with you, the Government of the United Kingdom and the British people.”
Prawit visited the British embassy in Bangkok to sign a book of condolences on Friday afternoon.
The Queen last visited Thailand in 1996, during the year of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s golden jubilee, when she watched a procession of royal barges on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok and visited Chulalongkorn University, also in the capital.
During the visit, the Queen paid tribute to King Bhumibol for preserving Thailand’s culture and traditions. “Over the last quarter of a century your country has become a sophisticated modern state with an increasingly confident democracy,″ she said at the time. “But your unique cultural heritage remains intact and your people’s capacity to extend the friendliest of welcomes to visitors is undiminished.″
King Bhumibol was the second longest reigning monarch in the world at the time of his death in 2016 – though he was later surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II.
Unlike the British monarchy, which faces media scrutiny, the Thai royals are protected by one of the world’s harshest lese majesty laws, under which anyone who “defames, insults or threatens the king, queen, heir apparent or regent” can face between three and 15 years on each charge. In 2020, youth-led protests called for the law to be scrapped, and for wider democratic reforms. Since then, at least 200 protesters have been charged with lese majesty.
On social media, many Thais paid tribute to the Queen, including those who are critical of Thailand’s monarchy for its use of lese majesty. Some noted that the newly appointed prime minister, Liz Truss, once called for the abolition of the monarchy – but faced no risk of charges for this, as would be the case in Thailand.
Updated
Stamps bearing the image of the Queen will remain valid following her death, Royal Mail has announced.
Special stamps already announced will still be issued, although there may be changes to when they are launched.
A Royal Mail statement said:
Following the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Mail has confirmed that stamps bearing the image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II remain valid for use.
These include definitive stamps – regular ‘everyday’ stamps – and special stamps. As previously announced, following the introduction of barcodes to everyday stamps, these stamps remain valid until the end of January 2023.
All special stamps that have already been announced will be issued, although the launch dates of some may change. In line with past practice, following the death of a monarch all existing post boxes will remain unchanged. Post boxes already in production or being prepared for installation will also retain the insignia of Queen Elizabeth II.
Updated
Government releases guidance to businesses and sporting events
The government has released guidance saying there is no need for businesses to close or sporting events to be cancelled during the national mourning period, reports my colleague Rowena Mason.
The guidance says some business owners and event organisers may wish to consider closing or postponing events, especially on the day of the state funeral, depending on the nature and tone, but there is no obligation to do so.
On sporting, cultural and other entertainment events, the guidance is that any cancellations are at the discretion of organisers. It adds: “As a mark of respect,
organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the State Funeral. They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations.”If events do go ahead on the day of the funeral, the government suggests that organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions. It adds: “As a mark of respect,
and in keeping with the tone of national mourning, organisers may wish to hold a period of silence and/or play the National Anthem at the start of events or sporting fixtures, and players may wish to wear black armbands.”
Updated
This is a enjoyable series of tweets on some of the Queen’s quietly subversive moments
Some great stories about the Queen that might brighten a sad day. First, how she ensured the King of Saudi Arabia accepted a woman driver pic.twitter.com/BB5SDPYqlm
— Jon Yates (@jonpayates) September 9, 2022
When she had to host the Trumps and turned up wearing a brooch the Obamas had given her pic.twitter.com/pNg7C8tevE
— Jon Yates (@jonpayates) September 9, 2022
When American Tourists didn't realise she was the Queen and asked her to take their photo pic.twitter.com/l0E1wp8dbT
— Jon Yates (@jonpayates) September 9, 2022
When she visited Ireland. She ignored all the advice and spoke in Irish - much to the amazement of the Irish President. Watch the President mime 'wow'. https://t.co/8Dj41ne7WS
— Jon Yates (@jonpayates) September 9, 2022
My colleague Dan Sabbagh has written a blow-by-blow account of how the news broke of the Queen’s ill-health yesterday.
It was immediately obvious that something grave was occurring. Shortly after noon, Nadhim Zahawi, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, headed urgently into the Commons chamber to pass Liz Truss a note. He lingered to conduct a whispered briefing with the new prime minister while Keir Starmer addressed the chamber.
Moments later, Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, was also handed a sheet of paper. She digested its contents, before looking up in a moment of doubt and concern. The debate on the energy price cap continued, but suddenly the government’s £150bn bailout was no longer the story of the day.
The courts have fallen silent as judges expressed their “profound sorrow” at the death of the Queen, reports the Press Association’s Emily Pennink.
Lawyers and court users gathered in the Great Hall of the Old Bailey to observe the two-minute silence at 10am.
Among them were dozens of senior barristers whose titles will now change from Queen’s Counsel to King’s Counsel.
Before observing the silence, the Common Serjeant, Judge Richard Marks KC said it was a “profoundly sad occasion”.
“I’m sure we all send out very deepest condolences to members of the royal family.”
Some Old Bailey judges, who gathered in the hall, wore “mourning bands” with dark lines around their necks instead of their usual collars. Traditionally, the garb is worn for the entire mourning period but is not obligatory.At the end of the two minutes’ silence, Judge Marks said a book of condolence had been opened as well as one at the High Court. He said it was “indeed the end of an era” and a time of “profound sorrow” before adding: “God save the King.”
The court will not open on the day of the Queen’s funeral. As a princess in her teens, Elizabeth visited the Old Bailey with Princess Margaret and sat in the famous Court One for an afternoon as part of her royal education.
She returned to the Central Criminal Court as Queen in 1971 for lunch with the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs and judges. In 2007, she attended a reception to mark the centenary of the Old Bailey.
King Charles declares period of royal mourning from today until seven days after the Queen's funeral
The King has declared that a period of official royal mourning will be observed from today and lasting until seven days after the Queen’s state funeral, reports Caroline Davies.
For the latest guidance on Mourning and how to sign our online book of condolence, please visit our website:
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 9, 2022
Royal mourning is observed by members of the royal family, as well as staff in the royal households, and troops on ceremonial duties.
It has also been announced that gun salutes, one round of fired for each of the Queen’s 96 years, will be fired from Hyde Park and the Tower of London at 1pm as the nation enters a period of national mourning, the details of which will be announced by the government.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “Following the death of Her Majesty the Queen, it is His Majesty the King’s wish that a period of royal mourning be observed from now until seven days after the Queen’s funeral. The date of the funeral will be confirmed in due course.
“Royal mourning will be observed by members of the royal family, royal household staff and representatives of the royal household on official duties, together with troops committed to ceremonial duties.
“Flags at royal residences were half masted yesterday, Thursday 8th September, and will remain half-masted until 0800hrs on the morning after the final day of royal mourning.”
The half-masting of flags at royal residences does not apply to the royal standard and the royal standard in Scotland when the King is in residence, as they are always flown at full mast.
Guidance on flags at other public buildings has been issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Royal gun salutes will be fired in London at 1pm, in Hyde Park by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, and at the Tower of London by the Honourable Artillery, with one round fired for each year of the Queen’s life.
There will be no physical books of condolence at royal residences, but an online book of condolence for those who wish to leave messages is available on the Royal website.
Dedicated sites for floral tributes from the public have been set up, in Green Park and Hyde Park near Buckingham Palace in London. In Windsor a dedicated site has been set up at Cambridge Gate on the Long Walk, with flowers brought inside the castle every evening, and placed on the Castle Chapter grass on the south side of St George’s Chapel and Cambridge Drive.
At the Sandringham Estate, members of the public are encouraged to leave floral tributes at the Norwich Gates. At Balmoral Castle, floral tributes can be left at the Main Gate. At the Palace of Holyroodhouse, members of the public are encouraged to give floral tributes to the Wardens at the entrance to the Queen’s Gallery, which will be laid on the forecourt grass in front of the North Turret of the Palace. At Hillsborough Castle, floral tributes may be laid on the Castle forecourt, in front of the main gates.
All royal residences will remain closed to the public until after the Queen’s state funeral, which is expected to be on Monday 19 September, although that has not yet been officially confirmed.
This includes the Queen’s Gallery, and Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Gallery in Edinburgh. The Queen’s private estates at Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House, will also close for this period, as will Hillsborough Castle, the Queen’s official residence in Northern Ireland.
Updated
A gun salute of 96 rounds to mark each year of the Queen’s life will be fired by 104 Regiment Royal Artillery in the grounds of Cardiff Castle at 1pm on Friday, reports my colleague Steven Morris in Wales.
Welsh and Union flags fly at half mast over Cardiff Castle following the death of Her Majesty the Queen. Photographed for @guardian with @stevenmorris20. pic.twitter.com/MmE12jxaBS
— Sam Frost (@SamFrostPhotos) September 9, 2022
Preparations under way at Cardiff castle for the gun salute pic.twitter.com/ldwdgBPEnh
— steven morris (@stevenmorris20) September 9, 2022
Muffled and half muffled bells will be rung around the capital and throughout Wales.
The Queen was a frequent visitor to Wales, attending formal Welsh government occasions as well as sporting events and agricultural shows.
She officially opened the first National Assembly for Wales in 1999 and has opened every session following an election in Wales since. She was last in the capital to mark the official opening of the sixth Senedd in October last year.
One of the Welsh communities with the strongest link to the Queen is the south Wales valley village of Aberfan, where 116 children and 28 adults died when an unstable coal tip perched high above a valley slid down the mountain, engulfing Pantglas junior school in 1966.
The Queen is said to regret waiting eight days before she visited the village but in the years since then, strong connections were forged.
One of the survivors, Gaynor Madgwick, a child at the time of the disaster, said on Friday that the Queen came to be thought of as “a mother” to the village.
Updated
My colleague Alison Rourke has rounded up the front pages of most of the UK papers marking an “historic and sombre day” in the nation’s history.
Many who loved the Queen will pick up a copy of a UK newspaper today, who all pay tribute to her dedicated life of service. My colleague Jenny Stevens has taken a short video of the newspapers as they currently stand in the Guardian’s offices.
Quite something pic.twitter.com/0wD9uickdp
— Jenny Stevens (@jenny_stevens) September 9, 2022
The Guardian features a full page picture of the Queen at her coronation.
The Guardian front page, Friday 9 September 2022; Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022 pic.twitter.com/5ROqSmVqE1
— The Guardian (@guardian) September 8, 2022
The Daily Mirror has a superb picture of the Queen in profile, against a black background and features two simple words: Thank you.
Friday's front page: Thank you https://t.co/RpX4DCvQ5l #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/0MxuaXtiDh
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) September 8, 2022
The Times takes the decision not to feature a full-page photograph of the Queen, instead presenting a more traditional front page. The paper also had a wraparound image of the Queen at her coronation enveloping the paper.
Friday’s Times #Tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/U0ndJCfVXq
— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) September 8, 2022
A stirring front from the Scottish Herald, featuring the Queen against the backdrop of the countryside she loved so much.
Tomorrow's front page as we pay tribute to the Queen pic.twitter.com/9ct0IZH8ST
— The Herald (@heraldscotland) September 8, 2022
All the front pages are here:
Updated
A service for the Queen will be held at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh this weekend, attended by the royal family, reports my colleague Josh Halliday in Edinburgh. The Queen’s coffin will then stay at St Giles for 24 hours for a period of lying at rest.
A smattering of police and G4S security officers this morning outside St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, where a service for the late Queen will be attended by the royal family this weekend. The Queen’s coffin will then stay here for 24 hours for a period of lying at rest. pic.twitter.com/W3CBlRjjte
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) September 9, 2022
Teams of builders are this morning constructing the scaffolding and lighting for the Queen’s service to be beamed across the globe. Security is tightening up across Edinburgh and several roads have been closed. Tens of thousands of people are expected here over the coming days.
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) September 9, 2022
Usually busy roads around the Royal Mile have been closed to traffic in preparation for the arrival of the Queen’s coffin, expected at some point this weekend. pic.twitter.com/Uw9pRGIw8L
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) September 9, 2022
A service of prayer and reflection on the Queen’s death will be held in St Paul’s cathedral at 6pm today, reports my colleague Harriet Sherwood.
Two thousand seats will be allocated to the public on a first come first served basis.
People wishing to attend the service must visit in person to the City of London tourism office to collect a wristband from 11:00. The service will be broadcast live on BBC1.
St Paul’s will be closed today to allow preparations for the service.
Prince Harry leaves Balmoral on Friday morning
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, left Balmoral alone at about 8.15am this morning, with the convoy passing flowers that had been laid as tributes to his late grandmother. Guardian photographer Murdo MacLeod captured the poignant moment.
The Prince was also pictured at Aberdeen airport before boarding a flight:
Updated
What happens today
Today will be packed with official, semi-official, and impromptu events marking the Queen’s death. Here’s an outline of the timetable we can expect:
King Charles and Camilla, now the Queen Consort, stayed at Balmoral on Thursday night but will travel to London on Friday where the new king will have an audience with the new prime minister, Liz Truss.
Confirming funeral plans – The King is likely to meet the Earl Marshal (the Duke of Norfolk) who is in charge of the accession and the Queen’s funeral, to approve the carefully choreographed schedule for the coming days.
National mourning – The government will confirm the length of national mourning, which is likely to be about 12 days, PA Media reports, from now up to the day after the Queen’s funeral. The public has already begun to gather in large crowds and leave flowers outside Buckingham Palace and other royal buildings. Ministers will also announce that the funeral day will be a public holiday.
Court mourning – The King will decide on the length of court or royal mourning for members of the royal family and royal households. It is expected to last a month.
Union jacks on royal buildings are flying at half-mast.
Bells will toll at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Windsor Castle. Churches are being urged to toll their bells across England at noon.
A gun salute of 96 rounds – one round for every year of the Queen’s life – will be fired in Hyde Park and at other stations.
The King’s televised address – The King will make a televised address to the nation, which he is due to pre-record, in the early evening. He will pay tribute to the Queen and pledge his duty to his service as the new sovereign.
Service at St Paul’s Cathedral – The prime minister and senior ministers are expected to attend a public service of remembrance at St Paul’s in central London.
