King Charles III made an historic address this morning to both houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall.
In it, he paid tribute to his mother and our Queen, her historic reign, unmatched sense of duty and the sudden loss the nation has suffered.
The King 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.”
The King went on to quote the Bard as he described his mother’s legacy, telling MPs and peers: “As Shakespeare says of the earlier Queen Elizabeth, she was ‘a pattern to all princes living.”
Such occasions are always heavy with meaning and ceremony. Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster, dating to 1097 under William II, the son of William the Conqueror.
Presidents, popes and the Dalai Lama have all given such addresses. Queen Elizabeth II naturally holds the record, doing so in Westminster Hall on four occasions throughout her reign.
Next for the King was a return to Scotland, where this afternoon he walked behind the Queen’s coffin from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh to St Giles’ Cathedral, before an audience with Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and a visit to the Scottish Parliament.
This forms part of his odyssey across the four nations of the United Kingdom. An opportunity not only to mourn Elizabeth II, but also for the public to meet the King and the King the public.
We must not forget that Charles III and the royal family are not only mourning a monarch but a matriarch. Elizabeth II was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. No matter what age any of us lose a parent, we’re never quite prepared for it. The King is faced with immediately taking on the responsibilities of state and touring a nation in grief as he comes to terms with his own loss.
Today, the King is already showing us what sort of monarch he will be.
Met must regain trust
Sir Mark Rowley will enjoy no gentle introduction into life as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. His first day included a major policing operation as the King and Queen Consort arrived in Westminster, while his force prepares for the funeral of Elizabeth II next week.
Policing major events of this nature has long been a strength of the Met. Where that is less the case is in other aspects of the job.
Over the weekend, crowds gathered outside Scotland Yard to protest over the death of Chris Kaba, 24, shot by armed officers in Streatham last Monday. No gun was found in his car. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched a homicide investigation.
Then there are the wider issues that require dramatic reform, from the culture of misogyny, racism, homophobia and bullying found at Charing Cross Station to the fears of women and girls about safety on London’s streets.
From violent crime to counter-terrorism and the managing of major events, policing a major city such as London is no easy task. After a troubling period, we hope Sir Mark is able to overhaul the Met, and crucially rebuild the trust that Londoners must have in their police service.
