Kings Charles III thanks Queen for her 'love and devotion' and pledges to 'serve with loyalty, respect and love' in address to nation
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The announcement of her passing was made by Buckingham Palace at 6.30pm on Thursday, September 8. She died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, with some of her closest family by her side.
Her Majesty the Queen ruled for longer than any monarch in British history, dedicating her lifetime to serving the UK and Commonwealth.
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Hide AdIt was announced on Friday, September 9 by Buckingham Palace that a period of royal mourning will be observed until seven days after the Queen’s funeral.
King Charles III addressed the nation for the first time at 6pm on Friday evening, September 9.
In his address, he pledged to “serve with loyalty, respect and love” as he thanked the late Queen for her “love and devotion”.
He earlier greeted crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace and held his first in-person audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss.
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Hide AdIn the North East, the iconic Great North Run half marathon has been confirmed as going ahead this Sunday (September 11). The 13.1-mile route runs between Newcastle and South Shields, raising thousands for charity.
Other events due to take place throughout the Great Run weekend have been postponed, as have Premier League and EFL fixtures across the coming days.
BBC One has also suspended its regular programming schedule in the wake of the Queen’s death and is airing rolling news coverage on Friday.
A lifetime of service and the legacy left behind
Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne came in February 1952, following the death of her father (King George VI), with her coronation at Westminster Abbey taking place in June 1953.
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In June 2022, an extended celebration was held in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as the nation paid tribute to the dignity, dedication and duty of the Monarch.
The nation has united in mourning as countless tributes are paid to Queen Elizabeth II, with people and organisations alike recognising her unwavering determination to serve her people.
Her son Charles, whose new title has been confirmed as King Charles III, will now serve as monarch – our first King in more than 70 years.
After returning to London with the Queen Consort (Camilla, formerly the Duchess of Cornwall), he is expected to address the nation for the first time on Friday.
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Hide AdBuckingham Palace confirmed that the King will be proclaimed at the Accession Council at 10am on Saturday (September 10) in the State Apartments of St James’s Palace.
You can read tributes following the Queen’s passing and updates on what happens next below.
Kings Charles III thanks Queen for her ‘love and devotion’ and pledges to ‘serve with loyalty, respect and love’ in address to nation
Key Events
- A period of national mourning is underway following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96; she was Britain's longest-serving monarch.
- King Charles III has addressed the nation for the first time, pledging to “serve with loyalty, respect and love”.
- The King ended his address with tribute to “darling Mama”.
- Some sporting events over the weekend have been cancelled as a mark of respect. Sunday's Great North Run will take place as planned.
- William will become Prince of Wales.
- Tributes continue to pour in from across the globe in recognition of the Queen's lifetime of service and dedication. She ruled for more than 70 years.
- We’ll bring you more updates on Saturday.
‘An inspiration for the world'
Andrew Lloyd Webber has described the Queen as “an inspiration to the world for her lifetime of service”.
In a statement shared on Twitter, Lord Lloyd-Webber paid tribute on behalf of him and his wife Madeleine.
He wrote: “For the whole of my life, the Queen has been the constant anchor of not just Britain and her beloved Commonwealth, but an inspiration to the world for her lifetime of service.
“Her legacy will be remembered as a selfless beacon for love, understanding and the celebration of fellow human beings all over the world, no matter their race or creed.
“Madeleine and I are deeply saddened by this news, and our thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty The Queen’s family.”
Will there be a bank holiday and how many days of mourning will there be?
The United Kingdom has entered into a 10 -day period of national mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in Balmoral on Thursday, September 8.
Following the sad announcement of the Queen’s passing, there is now a strict protocol that will be followed.
So, what will happen during the mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II? Click here for more information.
Northumbria Police pays tribute
“It is with sadness we learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“On behalf of everyone at Northumbria Police, I offer sincere condolences to the Royal Family at what must be an extremely difficult time for them.
“All police officers swear allegiance to the reigning Monarch and for so many of us it has been an honour and privilege to serve the Queen for so long.
“Many of the traits displayed by Her Majesty The Queen, in the manner in which she carried out her public duties, are reflected in the behaviours and values demonstrated across policing and particularly here in Northumbria.
“Throughout her reign, she sought to generate community cohesion and bring people together at times of uncertainty, this should continue to serve as an inspiration to us all.
“As we come together to remember and pay tribute to the life of The Queen, Northumbria Police will remain ever present in our support of the local communities we are so proud to be part of.”
Chief Constable Winton Keenen QPM – Northumbria Police
Stability, serenity and strength
Former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her husband former US President Bill Clinton said the Queen was “a source of stability, serenity and strength” who deepened the special relationship between their nation and the UK.
“We join with people across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and all around the world, in giving thanks for her extraordinary life,” their statement reads.
“Throughout her remarkable 70-year reign, she led Britain through great transformations with unfailing grace, dignity and genuine care for the welfare of all its people. In sunshine or storm, she was a source of stability, serenity and strength.
“We will always be grateful for the kindness she showed us through the years, particularly during our visits to Buckingham Palace in 1995 and 2000, and for all she did to deepen the special relationship.”
In a separate tweet, Ms Clinton said: “Few individuals in the history of humanity have led their people with such steadiness and grace as Queen Elizabeth.
“My condolences to everyone mourning her passing today, and the end of an era.”
His Majesty the King
Charles has become King Charles III – with his title as monarch a personal choice that was entirely his own.
He has opted to use his Christian name, just like his late beloved mother Queen Elizabeth II.
A tribute from the Mayor of Sunderland
The Mayor of Sunderland has paid tribute to Her Majesty The Queen following her sad death at Balmoral on Thursday. Councillor Alison Smith, the Mayor of Sunderland, said: “I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Her Majesty The Queen’s death. “Her Majesty The Queen was a truly inspirational figure who was not only greatly loved and admired in this country but by millions of people around the world. I know that many people will want to pay their own personal tributes to someone who meant so much to so many. “Sunderland has been privileged to welcome Her Majesty The Queen here on a number of occasions during her reign, most recently in 2012 when Her Majesty and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visited the city during her Diamond Jubilee tour of the country and people turned out in their thousands to greet her. “I know I speak for the people of this city when I say that she will be sadly missed and that our thoughts are with the rest of the Royal Family and all who knew and loved her at this very sad time.”
The scene outside Buckingham Palace
Television scheduling changes
ITV has announced its scheduling changes for overnight and September 9 following the death of the Queen.
The broadcaster said it will be showing continuous news coverage through the night which will look back at the Queen’s life and her reign, including her decades of service to the country.
Their coverage includes a special ITV News at Ten at 10pm and at 11pm they will broadcast Queen Elizabeth II, an obituary programme narrated by presenter Mary Nightingale.
On September 9, Good Morning Britain will air from 6am-9am, hosted by Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard. At 9am, there will be an extended ITV News special, with another programme at 8:30pm called Queen Elizabeth II – The Longest Reign, to be presented by Jonathan Dimbleby.
ITV News At Ten then airs at 10pm.
Cleveland Police statement
Police officers, staff and volunteers working for Cleveland Police are extremely saddened to hear of the sad death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II today, Thursday 8th September.
On hearing of the passing of Her Majesty, Chief Constable Mark Webster said: “The Queen has been a faithful and steadfast leader during her long reign and people looked to her as a beacon of strength and guidance during challenging and uncertain times.
“As servants of the Crown, it is a poignant moment for the policing family to hear of her passing and our thoughts and deepest condolences are with The Royal Family during this time. Our flags will be flown at half-mast to mark the national period of mourning.
“We are all saddened by the death of Her Majesty and our teams will be supporting local people and communities to connect in the days and weeks ahead to mark this moment in history.”