King Charles III delivered his first address as monarch on Friday, honoring his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, while also pledging to uphold and move forward the promises she made to her subjects over 70 years ago.
“Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived, a promise with destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing,” he began, later adding: “Alongside the personal grief that all my family are feeling, we also share with so many of you – in the United Kingdom, in all the countries where the Queen was head of state, in the Commonwealth and across the world – a deep sense of gratitude for the more than 70 years in which my mother as queen served the people of so many nations.”
The 73-year-old monarch went on to commemorate the many changes Queen Elizabeth II saw during her seven-decade reign, mentioning the radio broadcast she delivered as princess from Cape Town, South Africa in 1947 – just a handful of years before she ascended to the throne.
“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service, and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong,” Elizabeth said at the time, a message echoed by her son three quarters of a century later.
The queen saw the United Kingdom through 15 prime ministers and 14 U.S. presidents and numerous high-profile events – from her visit to West Germany in 1965, when she became the first British monarch to visit the country in over a half-century, to the highly-publicized death of Princess Diana, Charles’ first wife and the mother of his children.
As King Charles III said, the world has changed drastically in the 70-plus years of his mother’s reign.
“When the queen came to the throne, Britain and the world was still coping with the privations and aftermath of the Second World War, and still living by the conventions of earlier times,” King Charles III recalled. “In the course of the last 70 years, we have seen our society become one of many cultures and many faiths.”
But the king said while institutions and society may have changed, the values of the British have not – and “must remain constant,” he emphasized, with a particular focus on the relationship between the Crown and the Church of England.
Charles, who became heir apparent to the throne in 1952, is now the first King of the United Kingdom since Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, passed away that same year. Charles’ wife, Camilla, is the queen consort as her husband ascends to the throne.
King Charles III went on to discuss his own role as head of state, reiterating his late mother’s pledge of lifelong service to the people of the United Kingdom and its broader commonwealth.
“As the queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself – throughout the remaining time God grants me – to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation,” he said. “And 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 endeavor to serve you with loyalty, respect, and love, as I have throughout my life.”
As he gives up the titles of Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall that he held for several decades, so too will King Charles give up much of the time he spent as a patron or president of nearly 500 charitable organizations. As prince, Charles promoted the work of organizations ranging from ActionAid, an international charity helping women and girls living in poverty, to World Jewish Relief, which supports “the world’s poorest Jewish communities,” per its website.
The king on Friday announced that his eldest son, Prince William, will succeed him as Duke of Cornwall and also named him Prince of Wales, elevating him and wife Catherine from their status as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
“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 center ground where vital help can be given,” he said.
The new king also briefly mentioned his youngest son, Harry, during his address, saying: “I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”
The relationship between Harry and Charles has become notably strained since the former opted to leave behind his royal duties in favor of a more normal life with his wife, Meghan Markle, and two children in California. Harry joined the Royal Family at Balmoral shortly after news of the queen’s passing became public.
King Charles III ended his speech by addressing the queen directly, also evoking the name of his late father, Prince Philip, who passed away in April 2021.
“To my darling mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa. I want simply to say this: Thank you,” he said. “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.”
The queen’s funeral will be held in “a little over a week’s time,” the king said, though Buckingham Palace has yet to confirm an exact date.
