Status: 12.09.2022 at 6:05 PM
King Charles III announced in his inaugural address to lawmakers that he would follow the example of Elizabeth II’s “selfless fulfillment of duty”. He then went to Edinburgh, where the body of the late emperor was taken with great sympathy.
Westminster Hall breathes history. For the past 900 years, wars have been declared, coronations have taken place and kings, queens and prime ministers have been housed in this oldest part of the Palace of Westminster. In the same place where Elizabeth II would also be placed in the days to come, her son, King Charles III, sat next to his wife Camilla on the throne today.
Both Houses of Parliament had gathered at Westminster Hall to offer condolences to the King and pay tribute to Elizabeth II. Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle, who was wearing a formal robe with opulent gold embroidery, linked this to the current expectation in her speech – framed in the language of past centuries:
Your Excellency Lord, we, Your Majesty’s dutiful and faithful subjects, offer our deepest condolences […] And our allegiance to you – and our belief that you will strive to uphold people’s freedom and advance people’s happiness in all of your fields, now and for years to come.
King Charles III and his wife Camilla, the Queen’s Consort, attend a ceremonial ceremony of condolences in both houses of the British Parliament at Westminster Hall.
Image: DPA
“The living and breathing apparatus of our democracy”
Parliament wanted his role to be confirmed and King Charles III. He confirmed this in his inaugural address. Early on, he said of the age of Westminster Hall: “I cannot help but feel the weight of history that surrounds us and reminds us of fundamental parliamentary traditions.”
Farewell to the Queen: on the special political significance of Scotland
Sven Lohmann, ARD London, daily topic at 10:30 pm, 12 September 2022
According to Charles III, Parliament is “the living and breathing apparatus of our democracy”. The queen had vowed at a very young age to serve her country and her people and uphold the priceless principles of constitutional government. The king said, “He kept that fast with incomparable devotion.” She was a role model for “selfless fulfillment of duty”. “And I’m determined to faithfully follow that example with God’s help and your support.”
waiting for hours on the side of the road
After that, King Charles followed Edinburgh, Yesterday the Queen’s coffin was moved from Balmoral Castle to Holyroodhouse Palace in Edinburgh, the official royal residence in Scotland. From there he was taken in a silent procession to St Giles Cathedral today. People waited on the roadside for hours to watch the funeral procession.
This woman wanted to be on the safe side and was still there that night: “I didn’t have enough money for a hotel, so I had to sleep in an alley. But there are a lot of police here, so I felt completely safe.” . And I just said: ‘Please keep an eye on me’. And that’s what they did.”
After a service at St Giles’ Cathedral, the Queen’s coffin will remain there for 24 hours to give Scots a chance to say goodbye to their Queen. The body will be taken to London tomorrow.
Freelance twitter maven. Infuriatingly humble coffee aficionado. Amateur gamer. Typical beer fan. Avid music scholar. Alcohol nerd.
