Politics

King Charles addresses parliament for first time as monarch

(Update: adds quotes from King Charles, lawmakers, changes headline)

London, Sep 12 (EFE) .- King Charles III visited Westminster on Monday for the first time since he became the sovereign of the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth realms following his mother Queen Elizebeth II’s death.

The King was joined by the Queen Consort Camilla in his visit to the House of Commons and the House of Lords to hear their condolences.

“My Lords and members of the House of Commons, we gather today in remembrance of the remarkable span of the Queen’s dedicated service to her nations and peoples,” 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 to the betterment of us all,” the monarch added.

Charles honored his mother’s service saying she set “an example of selfless duty which, with God’s help and your counsel, I am resolved faithfully to follow.”

Before his first parliamentary address the King listened to the condolences from both the lower and upper houses of parliament.

Lord Speaker Lord McFall of Alcluith welcomed the monarchs on behalf of the House of Lords and said that “we all feel a sense of loss beyond measure”.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle added that the loss of the Queen has reverberated around the world, adding that as “deep as our grief is, we know yours is deeper.”

The monarchs will now fly to Edinburgh where Charles III will have an audience with Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon and then visit the Scottish Parliament to receive a motion of condolence.

The Queen’s coffin, which is resting in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, will leave the Royal residence at 13.35 GMT in a procession to St Giles Cathedral where a service will be held and attended by members of the royal family, including the King and Queen Consort.

The coffin will remain in the cathedral for public viewing for 24 hours so residents can pay their respects to the late monarch, who passed away on September, 8 aged 96.

On Tuesday, the Queen’s coffin will be transferred to the British capital in a Royal Air Force (RAF) plane for a state funeral slated for September 19 in Westminster Abbey.

Britons will be able to pay their respects to Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history, on the day of the funeral which has been declared a Bank Holiday.

Charles III was officially proclaimed King by the Accession Council on Saturday in a historic ceremony.EFE

prc/ch/mp

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