PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron turned his attention from the new head of state to the new head of government on Saturday evening.
He sent condolences to Britain’s Prime Minister Liz Truss and said that ties between France and the United Kingdom have long roots in history.
In the future, “we shall strengthen them,” Macron said in a tweet. He added: “Our support for Ukraine, as well as food and energy security will be among our shared priorities.”
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS:
- What’s next for the UK as Queen Elizabeth II laid to rest
- What’s in a name? King Charles III’s name has loaded history
- King Charles III is officially proclaimed monarch in London
- What will happen to all the currencies that feature the queen?
- Live Updates: Prime Minister Liz Truss, other lawmakers vow loyalty to king
- Explainer: The formal rules around Charles’ accession
— Mourners in the street: Sincere grief flows out across Britain
- Will Charles be loved by his subjects, like his mother was?
- ‘A constant in my life’: World mourns Queen Elizabeth II
- Camilla becomes Queen Consort after a long, twisting road
- Find more AP coverage here: https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
Wearing black armbands, test cricketers from England and South Africa held a minute’s silence before a bell was chimed once by a high-ranking member of the military at the Oval.
Over to the west of London, golfers from around the world paused their rounds and other pros, officials and caddies gathered on the putting green in front of the first tee at Wentworth to hold a two-minute period of silence, also impeccably observed.
There were moving and respectful tributes to Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday as sports resumed in Britain following a nationwide shutdown Friday as a mark of respect for the monarch of more than 70 years who died at the age of 96 on Thursday.
Professional and grassroots soccer - including the Premier League - decided to call off all matches this weekend to give an opportunity for participants to mourn the queen’s passing.
International cricket and golf returned, though, as did English domestic rugby, on the back of guidance from the government that stated there was no obligation on sports organizations to cancel or reschedule events during the nation’s period of mourning.
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Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have joined Prince William and his wife Kate at Windsor Castle to view floral tributes left by the public in honor of Queen Elizabeth II.
The two princes and their wives took time to study the bouquets before waving at crowds of wellwishers pressed against road barriers outside the gates of Windsor Castle on Saturday.
William and Kate were seen shaking hands and speaking with members of the public.
It was the two couples’ first public appearance since the queen died on Thursday.
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LONDON - Palace officials say the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will take place on Sept. 19 at Westminster Abbey in London after the public gets an opportunity to pay their last respects to the monarch.
Elizabeth, the nation’s longest-reigning sovereign, died Thursday at her summer retreat in the Scottish Highlands.
Details on the 96-year old queen’s funeral will be released later, but organizers on Saturday described the ceremony as a “a fitting farewell to one of the defining figures of our times.’’
Palace officials said there would be opportunities to see the late sovereign’s oak coffin as it journeys from Balmoral Castle in Scotland to Edinburgh and again in London, where her body will lie in state for four days starting Wednesday.
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LONDON - Prince William has has made his first statement about the death of Queen Elizabeth II, saying “it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.”
William, who is now heir to the throne behind his father King Charles III, said in a statement Saturday the queen “was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life.”
William, the Prince of Wales, said the late queen provide “an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all.”
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OTTAWA, Ontario - King Charles III has been officially announced as Canada’s monarch Saturday in a ceremony in Ottawa.
Charles automatically became king when Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday. But like the ceremony in the United Kingdom hours earlier, the accession ceremony Saturday in Canada is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.
Charles is now is the head of state in Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.
Though Canadians are somewhat indifferent to the monarchy, many had great affection for the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose silhouette marks their coins.
Overall, the antiroyal movement in Canada is minuscule, meaning that Charles will almost certainly remain king of Canada. One reason is that abolishing the monarchy would mean changing the constitution. That’s an inherently risky undertaking, given how delicately it is engineered to unite a nation of 37 million that embraces English-speakers, French-speakers, Indigenous tribes and a constant flow of new immigrants.
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BALMORAL CASTLE, Scotland - Members of the royal family have stopped to take in a sea of floral tributes left by the public outside the gates of Balmoral Castle in Scotland after attending a prayer service nearby.
Queen Elizabeth II’s three youngest children - Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward - as well as their families greeted a crowd of people who gathered Saturday to line the route outside the castle.
Princess Eugenie, Andrew’s daughter, was seen laying a bunch of flowers, while the rest of the family took time to read the many tributes to the queen.
The tribute came two days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the same day that her eldest son King Charles III was officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch.
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LONDON - Prime Minister Liz Truss and senior members of her government have taken oaths of loyalty to King Charles III in the House of Commons.
House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle was the first to pledge he will “bear true allegiance to his Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors,” followed by the longest-serving lawmakers and the prime minister.
All lawmakers pledge allegiance to the monarch after they are elected. Making a new vow when the monarch changes is not a legal requirement, but all 650 lawmakers will have a chance to retake the oath in the coming days if they wish.
Normal parliamentary business has been suspended during a period of mourning for the queen. The House of Commons is holding a rare Saturday session so that lawmakers can pay tribute to the late monarch.
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A royal official has publicly proclaimed King Charles III as Britain’s new monarch during a ceremony at St. James’s Palace.
David White, the Garter King of Arms, read the proclamation from a balcony at the London royal residence flanked by trumpeters in gold-trimmed robes.
Gun salutes rang out in Hyde Park, at the Tower of London and at military sites around the U.K. as the proclamation was made.
Scarlet-robed soldiers in the palace courtyard presented arms and doffed their bearskin hats in a royal salute.
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LONDON - King Charles III has declared that the day of his mother’s funeral will be a public holiday.
Charles approved the decision during his formal accession ceremony on Saturday.
The date of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral has not been announced but is expected to be around Sept, 19.
This will be the second extra public holiday for Britons this year - a holiday was declared in early June for celebration’s to mark Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee, for 70 years on the throne.
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LONDON - King Charles III has been officially announced as Britain’s monarch Saturday, in a ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism - and, for the first time, broadcast live.
Charles automatically became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday, but Saturday’s accession ceremony is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.
The ceremony at St. James’s Palace, a royal residence in London, is attended by the Accession Council, made up of senior politicians and officials who advise the monarch. They met without Charles, officially confirming his title, King Charles III. The king will then join them to make a series of oaths and declarations.
It’s the first time the ceremony has been held since 1952, when Queen Elizabeth II took the throne.
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