KKing Charles III. and his wife Camilla have returned to London less than 24 hours after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Coming from Scotland, the two landed on Friday afternoon at the Northolt military airport, a good 20 kilometers north-west of London. A number of official appointments awaited the new king in the capital. King Charles wanted to go to Buckingham Palace, the official seat of the head of state, not to his previous residence, Clarence House, a few hundred meters away. There, upon his arrival, he will receive British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has only been in office for four days. A televised speech by the new king is then planned.
The prime minister will no longer speak publicly on Friday, but will make a short speech at a prayer service in St. Paul’s Cathedral. Truss had the new King Charles III in the morning in the House of Commons. assured the loyalty of the British. He, too, deserves loyalty, Truss said in front of a full house of mostly black-clad deputies.
Truss said of Queen Elizabeth II, who died the day before at the age of 96: “Her Majesty was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen. Your words of wisdom have strengthened us in the most difficult of times. In the darkest moments of the pandemic, she gave us hope that we could meet (with others) again.”
King Charles has also done a lot for the country in his life, for example through his efforts to protect the environment. “We owe him loyalty and devotion,” she said. “The crown will live on, the nation will live on, and in that spirit I say, long live the king.” Truss had questioned the monarchy as a student many years ago. She later described this as a youthful sin. MPs can take an oath of allegiance to the new king on Saturday and next week.
Opposition leader Keir Starmer said the Queen not only ruled the country but lived in it alongside its citizens. The Queen established a personal connection with each individual. “We loved her for that,” Starmer said. The Queen’s death deprives the country of a still point when it is most needed, the Labor leader said, referring to the multiple challenges facing Britain.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he was overcome with grief when he was asked to record words about the Queen’s death for a TV station a few months ago. He fell silent with grief and had to ask the TV people to leave him alone, Johnson reported in the House of Commons.
After the king, his two sons William and Harry also left Scotland. Both will return to their families. William will attend Saturday’s privy council, which will officially mark the death of Elizabeth II. Charles is also proclaimed as the new king. For the first time in history, this event will also be televised.
