As the world continues to mourn the loss of the beloved Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II son, Charles addressed his country for the first time as the King of England.
During his speech, King Charles III spoke about his mom from the blue drawing room at Buckingham Palace. “Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you today.”
The King then went on to talk about each of his family members including his wife, Camilla, who is now known as the Queen Consort. “I know she will bring to the demands of her new role. The steadfast devotion to duty, on which I have come to rely on so much,” he said of his wife.
The difference between the Queen and the Queen Consort is that a Queen ascends to the throne through succession, while the Queen Consort is the wife of the reigning monarch.
For the First Time Since Princess Diana, There Is a New Princess of Wales
King Charles also bestowed new titles on Prince William and Kate Middleton. Now, William is the Prince of Wales, just like his father, and Kate is the Princess of Wales, the first Princess of Wales since William and Harry’s mother died in 1997.
It is also the tradition that the reigning Monarch’s grandchildren are given the titles of prince and princess. However, it’s unclear if Harry and Meghan’s children will be given such titles like their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
As it has been widely reported, Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior members of the Royal family in 2020. They now live in California.
Nonetheless, King Charles did address is youngest son and daughter-in-law during his speech. “I want also to express my love for Harry and Megan, as they continue to build their lives overseas,” he said.
But with the final remarks of his speech, Charles turned the focus back to his mom. “To my darling Mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa, I want simply to say this: thank you. Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years. May ‘flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest,'” he said.
At 96 years old, the longest reigning British monarch passed away on September 8. In a statement shared by Buckingham Palace, it read:
King Charles also shared his own personal statement, writing, “The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.”