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WORLD | 09-09-2022 14:19

King Charles III vows 'lifelong service' to Britain and the Commonwealth

In his inaugural address to Britain and the Commonwealth, King Charles III pays tribute to his late mother, promises "lifelong service" to the crown and pledges to "uphold constitutional principles" during his time as monarch.

King Charles III vowed Friday to emulate his late mother's life of service, in his first address to Britain and his Commonwealth realms, saying he shared the public's "sense of loss beyond measure."

"That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today," he said in the televised speech, paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II after her death on Thursday.

The monarch also pledged to 'uphold constitutional principles' for rest of his life as he confirmed that his son, Prince William, would now be elevated to Prince of Wales – the title Charles himself held for more than five decades.

In his first spoken remarks since ascending the throne upon Queen Elizabeth II's death, Charles also declared his "love" for his estranged younger son Harry and Harry's wife Meghan.

The new monarch further said he could "count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla" after she became queen consort.

 

'Loss beyond measure'

Charles said he shared the public's "sense of loss beyond measure" after his mother passed away on Thursday aged 96, after a record-breaking reign of 70 years.

"That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today," he said. "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."

Addressing his "darling Mama", joining his father the late Prince Philip, who died last year, "I want simply to say this: thank you", the new monarch 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."

As heir to the queen, Charles was duke of Cornwall and duke of Rothesay in Scotland, titles that passed immediately to William on Thursday. 

But the highest title for the heir to the throne, prince of Wales, remained in the monarch's gift to bestow or withhold.

"Today, I am proud to create him prince of Wales, [in Welsh] Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty," Charles said.

"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."

The date of the queen's state funeral has yet to be confirmed but is expected on September 19.

"In a little over a week's time we will come together as a nation, as a Commonwealth and indeed a global community, to lay my beloved mother to rest," Charles said.

"In our sorrow, let us remember and draw strength from the light of her example," he said.

"On behalf of all my family, I can only offer the most sincere and heartfelt thanks for your condolences and support.

"They mean more to me than I can ever possibly express."

 

The full speech

Here is Charles' statement, pre-recorded in the Blue Drawing Room in Buckingham Palace during the afternoon and broadcast at 6pm  on UK television:

"I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow. 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; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.

"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.

"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.

"In 1947, on her 21st birthday, she pledged in a broadcast from Cape Town to the Commonwealth to devote her life, whether it be short or long, to the service of her peoples.

"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 wavered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.

"In her life of service, we saw that abiding love of tradition, together with that fearless embrace of progress, which make us great as nations. The affection, admiration and respect she inspired became the hallmark of her reign.

"And, 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.

"I pay tribute to my mother's memory and I honour her life of service. I know that her death brings great sadness to so many of you and I share that sense of loss, beyond measure, with you all.

"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.

"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.

"The role and the duties of monarchy also remain, as does the Sovereign's particular relationship and responsibility towards the Church of England -- the Church in which my own faith is so deeply rooted.

"In that faith, and the values it inspires, I have been brought up to cherish a sense of duty to others, and to hold in the greatest respect the precious traditions, freedoms and responsibilities of our unique history and our system of parliamentary government.

"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.

"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 endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life.

"My life will of course change as I take up my new responsibilities.

"It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.

"This is also a time of change for my family. I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla.

"In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort.

"I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much.

"As my heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me.

"He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall which I have undertaken for more than five decades.

"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.

"I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.

"In a little over a week's time, we will come together as a nation, as a Commonwealth and indeed a global community, to lay my beloved mother to rest.

"In our sorrow, let us remember and draw strength from the light of her example.

"On behalf of all my family, I can only offer the most sincere and heartfelt thanks for your condolences and support.

"They mean more to me than I can ever possibly express.

"And 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.

"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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