King Charles III will give his first speech to the nation today following the death of his beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth II. It was announced early on Thursday evening (September 8) that the Queen had died peacefully in the afternoon at Balmoral, her Scottish Highlands home.
It came hours after Buckingham Palace issued a statement, at 12.32pm, confirming the 96-year-old monarch was under medical supervision and that doctors were concerned for her health. The new King had dashed to be by the Queen's bedside.
Charles was joined by the monarch’s other children the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, with the Duke of Cambridge, now heir to the throne, and the Duke of Sussex also travelling there.
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“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," a statement from Buckingham Palace began. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."
The Queen’s son and successor King Charles III spoke of his grief soon after Buckingham Palace announced the death. He said: "The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
"We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world. During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held."
Charles will now turn his mind to matters of state as he begins his first full day as the nation’s new monarch having spent much of his 73 years in preparation for the role. He and Queen Consort, Camillia, will return to London after staying at Balmoral overnight on Thursday.
At lunchtime, church bells are expected to ring across the country in commemoration of the Queen. Meanwhile, tributes to the Queen will be paid by MPs in the House of Commons, led by Prime Minister Liz Truss and Speaker of the House Lindsay Hoyle.
At 1pm, gun salutes – one round for every year of the Queen’s life – will be fired in London’s Hyde Park and at other stations.
Later, at 6pm, the King will make a televised address to the nation, which he is due to pre-record. He will pay tribute to the Queen and pledge his duty to his service as the new sovereign. It is likely to be broadcast across all major networks as the likes of BBC and ITV continue its rolling news coverage.
A service of prayer and reflection on the death of the Queen will be held in St Paul’s Cathedral at 6pm. The Prime Minister and Lord Mayor of London are expected to attend the service which will be broadcast on the BBC.
The audio of the King’s televised address to the nation will be played inside the cathedral if it coincides with the service.
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