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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Hillsborough Castle Proclamation ceremony concludes as area reopens for public visits

The proclamation of the new King has been read to the people of Northern Ireland at Hillsborough Castle.

The Norroy and Ulster King of Arms Robert Noel formally declared the accession of Charles III to the throne following the Queen's death.

Amid heavy rain, around 200 invited guests were inside the castle grounds, while hundreds more watched from under umbrellas outside the main gates.

Read more: The Queen's Death: What is happening and when in the days ahead

Hillsborough Castle is the royal family's official residence in Northern Ireland, and the Co Down village was recently honoured with a 'Royal' prefix in recognition of its long-standing regal links.

The ceremony began with the Royal Irish Regiment (RIR) band leading a procession of a Proclamation Guard from the 2nd Battalion of the RIR and representatives of Lisburn and Castlereagh Council to the front of the castle.

Prior to the proclamation, a 40-second fanfare was sounded by a bugler. A bell in the clock tower of the castle's Court House chimed once at 12pm to signal the start of the reading.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson attends the proclamation of King Charles III at Hillsborough Castle (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

As Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, London-born Mr Noel is one of three senior officers of arms at the College of Arms in London.

Following the proclamation, a 21-gun salute was fired by the 206 (Ulster) Battery Royal Artillery.
After the last round, the bugler sounded a royal salute before the RIR band played a verse of God Save The King.

Mr Noel then invited guests to cheer three times for Charles.

Guests at official Proclamation ceremony at Hillsborough Castle (Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.)

Guests included Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie and Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister were also there, along with high-ranking military officers from the region.

In a change to an earlier announcement from the Northern Ireland Office, the public is now invited to attend the outside of Hillsborough Castle if they wish, with shuttle buses now operational from 1pm.

A statement said: "Following The Proclamation Ceremony, the public are now welcome to travel to the area in front of Hillsborough Castle to pay their respects to HM Queen Elizabeth II. There is no parking for non-residents, please use the shuttle bus service from the Eikon Centre."

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