Skip to main content

King Charles III: Charles is the new King, Head of Commonwealth


 At the moment the Queen died, the throne passed immediately and without ceremony to the heir, Charles, the former Prince of Wales.

But there are a number of practical - and traditional - steps which he must go through to be crowned King.

What will he be called?

He will be known as King Charles III.

That was the first decision of the new king's reign. He could have chosen from any of his four names - Charles Philip Arthur George.

He is not the only one who faces a change of title.

Although he is heir to the throne, Prince William will not automatically become Prince of Wales. However, he immediately inherits his father's other title, Duke of Cornwall. His wife Catherine will be known as the Duchess of Cornwall.

There will also be a new title for Charles' wife, whose full title will be Queen Consort - consort is the term used for the spouse of the monarch.

Formal ceremonies

In the first 24 hours or so after his mother's death, Charles will be officially proclaimed King. This happens at St James's Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

This is made up of members of the Privy Council - a group of senior MPs, past and present, and peers - as well as some senior civil servants, Commonwealth high commissioners, and the Lord Mayor of London.

More than 700 people are entitled in theory to attend, but given the short notice, the actual number is likely to be far fewer. At the last Accession Council in 1952, about 200 attended.

The King does not traditionally attend.

At the meeting, the death of Queen Elizabeth will be announced by the Lord President of the Privy Council (currently Penny Mordaunt MP), and a proclamation will be read aloud.

The wording of the proclamation can change, but it has traditionally been a series of prayers and pledges, commending the previous monarch and pledging support for the new one.

This proclamation is then signed by a number of senior figures including the prime minister, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Lord Chancellor.

As with all these ceremonies, there will be attention paid to what might have been altered, added or updated, as a sign of a new era.

The King's first declaration

The Accession Council meets again - usually a day later - and this time, the King will attend, along with the Privy Council.

There is no "swearing in" at the start of a British monarch's reign, in the style of some other heads of state, such as the President of the US. But there is a declaration made by the new King and - in line with a tradition dating from the early 18th Century - he will make an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland.

After a fanfare of trumpeters, a public proclamation will be made declaring Charles as the new King. This will be made from a balcony above Friary Court in St James's Palace, by an official known as the Garter King of Arms.

He will call: "God save the King", and for the first time since 1952, when the national anthem is played the words will be "God Save the King".

Gun salutes will be fired in Hyde Park, the Tower of London and from naval ships, and the proclamation announcing Charles as the King will be read in in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The coronation

The symbolic high point of the accession will be the coronation, when Charles is formally crowned. Because of the preparation needed, the coronation is not likely to happen very soon after Charles's accession - Queen Elizabeth succeeded to the throne in February 1952, but was not crowned until June 1953.

For the past 900 years the coronation has been held in Westminster Abbey - William the Conqueror was the first monarch to be crowned there, and Charles will be the 40th.

It is an Anglican religious service, carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury. At the climax of the ceremony, he will place St Edward's Crown on Charles's head - a solid gold crown, dating from 1661.

This is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and is only worn by the monarch at the moment of coronation itself (not least because it weighs a hefty 2.23kg).

Unlike royal weddings, the coronation is a state occasion - the government pays for it, and ultimately decides the guest list.

There will be music, readings and the ritual of anointing the new monarch, using oils of orange, roses, cinnamon, musk and ambergris.

The new King will take the coronation oath in front of the watching world. During this elaborate ceremony he will receive the orb and sceptre as symbols of his new role and the Archbishop of Canterbury will place the solid gold crown on his head.

Head of the Commonwealth

Charles has become head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 independent countries and 2.4 billion people. For 14 of these countries, as well as the UK, the King is head of state.

These countries, known as the Commonwealth realms, are: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ghana Home Loans

With interest rates declining, a more liquid environment and a macroeconomic stability, mortgage financing is expected to see an ease of credit. And Ghana Home Loans being a leader in this industry is expected to lead the way. Ghana Home Loans (GHL), a leader in home mortgage, continues to be the frontier in fulfilling dreams of many Ghanaians in homeownership. Since starting business in 2006, it has also provided many existing homeowners with Equity Release mortgages to support their businesses, pay educational fees, improve their properties, or simply pursue other personal hobbies and interests. Ghana Home Loans is a mortgage finance institution which operates under Bank of Ghana’s supervision as a non-bank financial institution. At present, the Company remains the only such institution that focuses exclusively on the provision of mortgage product. Through the Home Completion mortgage and Home Construction mortgage products, Ghana Home Loans has enabled many qualified applican

Rana Motors celebrates 30 years of Kia Sportage in Ghana with the unveiling of 30 Unique Limited Models

 In a bold milestone, Rana   Motors , a leading player in the automobile industry, is marking 30 years of its flagship compact   SUV , the Kia Sportage presence on the Ghanaian market with the launch of the limited special edition of the 5th Generation model. This latest edition, proudly assembled in Ghana, reflects the brand’s commitment to combining local craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology with key upgrades including acoustic laminated glass for a quieter interior and reinforced safety features like eight airbags, including rear side airbags. Speaking during a brief ceremony to unveil the 30th Anniversary of Kia Sportage in Ghana, Chief Operating Officer of Rana Motors Kassem Odaymat, described the positioning of the company as a game-changer in the automotive landscape.   To mark three decades of outstanding success, Kia has equipped a new special edition of the 2024 Sportage with enhanced specification, focusing on convenience and safety while further elevating the model’s

Index of industrial production surges to 8.2% in 2024 2nd quarter

  The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has expressed frustration over the challenges faced in securing electricity for schools across the country. During their 62nd Annual Conference, held in Tamale from October 7 to 11, CHASS voiced concerns about the impact of prepaid electricity meters on their operations. In a statement, CHASS highlighted that the use of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) prepaid meters in schools is worsening the financial strain on headteachers. CHASS is extremely surprised as to why its members should be burdened with the responsibility of pre-financing the supply of electricity for classrooms, libraries, dormitories, dining halls, laboratories, and other academic purposes," the statement read. CHASS called for the government's immediate intervention, urging the shift from prepaid to postpaid meters to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. They emphasized the need for continuous power to support effective academic work and to