She was the head of state for 45% of Canada's existence and visited the country 22 times as monarch. Though Canadians are somewhat indifferent to the monarchy, many had great affection for the Queen, whose silhouette marks their coins.

He also announced that he would attend Her Majesty's state funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 19.Īs a mark of respect, national flags in Australia are at half-mast, parliament has been suspended and a giant portrait of the Queen has been displayed on the sails of the Sydney Opera House.Īnd in Ottawa, a 28-member band of the Canadian Armed Forces played God Save the King during a 21-run gun salute at a proclamation ceremony attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In Canberra, Governor General David Hurley, the monarch's representative in Australia, proclaimed Charles with a 21-gun salute at Parliament House.Īustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a national day of mourning for the Queen would take place on September 22, with the day to be a public holiday. They were accompanied by the regimental mascot, a Welsh billy goat called Lance Corporal Shenkin IV, and Goat Major Sergeant Mark Jackson.Ĭharles has also been proclaimed King in cities across the Commonwealth. Speaking from parliament's steps in Wellington, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a crowd that in the wake of the Queen's death, New Zealand had entered a time of change. Prior to the Proclamation, 26 men of the 3rd Battalion the Royal Welsh - supported by the Band of the Royal Welsh - were marching from City Hall at 11.25am along the Boulevard de Nantes, North Road and Duke Street to the castle. Guests at the event - including Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie and Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister - joined together and said three cheers for Charles III.Īnd at Cardiff Castle, more than 2,000 people witnessed Wales Herald of Arms Extraordinary, Tom Lloyd, and the Lord-Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Morfudd Meredith, read the proclamation of the new King in English and Welsh. Rain beat down on officials at the proclamation event in Hillsborough, as a 40-second fanfare was sounded by a bugler after the last round of the 21-gun salute was fired before the band of the Royal Irish Regiment then played one verse of God Save the King. Police Scotland later said officers had arrested a 22-year-old woman in connection with a breach of the peace. However, well-wishers turned on the republican and shouted 'have some respect'. They were joined by soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, where a drill is taking place in front of the cross in Edinburgh.Īn anti-monarchy protester holding a sign which said 'f**k imperialism, abolish the monarchy' appeared at the Mercat Cross moments before the proclamation. In Edinburgh, huge crowds gathered down the Royal Mile as the King's Body Guard for Scotland, known as the Royal Company of Archers, and the guard of honour marched from the Castle Esplanade to Mercat Cross. Proclamations are taking place in other parts of the UK, including the devolved parliaments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, at 12pm today. The late Queen's eldest son, who automatically became King upon his mother's death at Balmoral Castle at the age of 96 on Thursday afternoon, was yesterday formally proclaimed at a historic ceremony in St James's Palace in London, following a meeting of the ancient Norman-era Accession Council. King Charles III is today being proclaimed as head of state at a swathe of ceremonies across Britain and the Commonwealth - from Edinburgh, Cardiff and Hillsborough castles, and the devolved parliaments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to the far-flung capitals of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Two towns made marion