King Charles III told how he felt “the weight of history” as he delivered a historic address to both Houses of Parliament on Monday before flying to Scotland on a sad journey to honour the Queen.
In the magnificent Westminster Hall, he stressed to MPs and peers how he was “resolved faithfully” to follow the late Queen’s “selfless duty” in serving the United Kingdom and maintaining “the precious principles of constitutional government which lie at the heart of our nation”.
He also spoke of the “tangible connections to my darling late mother” around Parliament commemorating her jubilees, such as the Elizabeth Tower which houses Big Ben.
Hundreds of parliamentarians, including Prime Minister Liz Truss and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, filled the great hall to hear from the new King and to offer their condolences for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last Thursday.
With his Queen Consort by his side, His Majesty said: “As I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds us and which reminds us of the vital parliamentary traditions to which Members of both Houses dedicate yourselves, with such personal commitment for the betterment of us all.”
With his words resonating around the vast, hammer-beam roofed hall, he said: “Parliament is the living and breathing instrument of our democracy.
“That your traditions are ancient we see in the construction of this great Hall and the reminders of the mediaeval predecessors of the Office to which I have been called. And the tangible connections to my darling late mother we see all around us.”
He highlighted the fountain in New Palace Yard for the late Queen’s Silver Jubilee, sundial in Old Palace Yard for her Golden Jubilee and “magnificent” stained glass window for her Diamond Jubilee.
Continuing, he emphasised: “The great bell of Big Ben, one of the most powerful symbols of our nation throughout the world and housed within the Elizabeth Tower also named for my mother’s Diamond Jubilee, will mark the passage of The late Queen’s progress from Buckingham Palace to this Parliament on Wednesday.”
Reflecting on the late Queen’s unprecedented 70-year reign, he said: “We gather today in remembrance of the remarkable span of The Queen’s dedicated service to her nations and peoples. While very young, Her late Majesty pledged herself to serve her country and her people and to maintain the precious principles of constitutional government which lie at the heart of our nation. This vow she kept with unsurpassed devotion.
“She has set an example of selfless duty which, with God’s help and your counsels, I am resolved faithfully to follow.”
The national anthem was sung after his address in Westminster Hall which was following a tradition set by the late Queen and his grandfather George VI.
World statesmen including Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev and Barack Obama have also delivered speeches in the hall, as did Pope Benedict XVI.
Before the King’s speech, Lord Speaker Lord McFall of Alcluith paid tribute to the Queen’s “inspiring reign of deep and unparalleled devotion” as he pledged loyalty to the new Monarch on behalf of peers.
Presenting the condolences of MPs, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “We have seen that this is a loss that is felt around the world.”
After the speech, the King and Queen Consort were flying to Edinburgh to lead the royal family and country as it continues to mourn the Queen’s death. They were going to Holyroodhouse where the Queen’s coffin was taken after yesterday’s six-hour procession from Balmoral.
They were later due to inspect the Guard of Honour and, as is traditional when the Monarch arrives in Holyrood, the Ceremony of the Keys was set to take place. Later the King was due to lead the Procession from the Forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse up the Royal Mile to St Giles’ Cathedral, with the Queen’s other children also following the hearse on foot.
The coffin will rest at St Giles’ Cathedral for a period of 24 hours to enable the people of Scotland to pay their last respects. Continuous vigils on the coffin will be mounted by the Royal Company of Archers, with the King and other members of the royal family also mounting vigils.
In London, the biggest ever security operation was under way, alongside preparations for the late Queen’s lying in state in Westminster Hall which will start on Wednesday. Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan warned MPs the queue of people wishing to pay their final respects to the late Monarch could be as long as 30 hours long.
As the nation comes together and after the public rapprochment between the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry this morning paid an emotional tribute to his late grandmother the Queen as he thanked her for her “sound advice” and “infectious smile,” stressing she had been a “guiding compass” to so many through her commitment to service and duty.
“We now honour my father in his new role as King Charles III,” he also stressed.
On Tuesday morning the King and Camilla will travel to Belfast, before returning to London and then flying to Scotland.
The Queen’s coffin will on Tuesday be taken by hearse from St Giles’ Cathedral to Edinburgh Airport from where it will depart in a Royal Air Force aircraft in the early evening, arriving into RAF Northolt in west London.
The Princess Royal, accompanied her husband by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, will accompany the coffin.
At RAF Northolt, the Bearer Party and Guard of Honour will be formed by The Queen’s Colour Squadron (63 Squadron RAF Regiment). The Bearer Party will convey the coffin to the state hearse.
The Guard of Honour will present arms on the arrival of the coffin and remain in that position until the state hearse has departed the airfield.
The state hearse will then convey the coffin to Buckingham Palace. The route will be via the A40, Eastbourne Terrace, Lancaster Gate, Bayswater Road, Marble Arch, Park Lane, Hyde Park Corner and Constitution Hill, arriving at the Centre Gate Centre Arch of Buckingham Palace
The Queen’s coffin will rest in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace overnight.
On Wednesday, the late Queen’s coffin will be placed upon a gun carriage and pulled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall for the lying in state.
