King Charles III was greeted with shouts of 'God save the King' and kisses on the hand and cheek when he arrived at Buckingham Palace today.
The crowd erupted with cheers when King Charles and Queen Camilla set foot at the Palace for the first time as monarch following the Queen's death. Crowds held their phones aloft to try to catch a glimpse of them as they greeted members of the crowd.
King Charles III shook hands with members of the public and was kissed on the hand and cheek by two royal fans. Colin Hennessy, 52, said: “It’s great to see the King. You can see he’s very emotional but he was very grateful to everybody here. He thanked as many people as he could as he walked by.”
The King and Queen visited the Palace to view messages and tributes following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. Many mourners have been gathering outside the Palace since concerns first began to grow about the late Queen's health, and members of the public have been leaving flowers and tributes.
The King is expected to address the nation on television on Friday evening, and hold his first audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss. The PM and senior ministers will attend a public service of remembrance at St Paul’s in central London.
On Saturday morning, an Accession Council – the formal proclamation of Charles as King – will take place at St James’s Palace in London. The first public proclamation of the new sovereign will then be read in the open air from the Friary Court balcony at St James’s Palace by the Garter King of Arms.
The couple stayed overnight at Balmoral, where Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully aged 96 on Thursday afternoon. This morning King Charles gave the order that a period of “Royal Mourning” for the Queen will be observed from now until seven days after her funeral.
Royal Mourning will be observed by members of the royal family, royal household staff and representatives of the royal Household on official duties, together with troops committed to ceremonial duties.
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