On the afternoon of the 8th local time, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom died in Balmoral Fort, Scotland, at the age of 96. According to official british royal family sources, the queen's eldest son, the 73-year-old Crown Prince Charles, immediately succeeded to the throne as king of the United Kingdom, with the title of "King Charles III".
Buckingham Palace said that King Charles and Queen Camilla will return to the capital London on the 9th local time. Buckingham Palace released a statement of the new king on the same day, saying the Queen's death was "the saddest moment for me and all the members of my family ... We deeply mourn a beloved monarch and mother".
Charles, who has been heir to the throne for 70 years, is the longest reigning heir to the throne in British history. According to reports, the matter of "succession" was a reluctant issue between Charles and the ministers, because it meant that "the beloved mother is no longer alive". But as we approach the age of 74, "King Charles" has ushered in a new chapter in his life.
Analysts point out that Charles will become the first monarch in the history of the British royal family to go to school, and will also become a new generation of monarchs completely different from Elizabeth II. So, what would "King Charles III" look like?
↑Analysis says Charles will be a new generation of monarchs completely different from Elizabeth II
Before the Queen's death
The British royal family is ready to make Charles "plenipotentiary regent"
In fact, the sudden deterioration in the Queen's health surprised those around her. Two days ago, she continued her work, not only meeting with "outgoing Johnson and incoming British Prime Minister Tras," but also handling some of the easier paperwork. Another royal source who had only met the queen a few days earlier said she looked "in good spirits".
But behind the Queen's "tireless dedication to her duties", Buckingham Palace's most senior staff have long begun to worry about how much more can be done when the Queen returns to Windsor Castle from Balmoral Castle.
"They're already going to pace back and forth around her and warn people that the situation now is that if she needs to do this, she can't do that." In recent weeks, there has been a marked shift in the intensity and urgency of the discussions. A source said.
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Over the past two weeks, senior ministers at Buckingham Palace and Clarence Palace (Prince Charles's residence) have been in consultation, including the Queen's private secretary, Sir Andy Young, the Clarence Palace Secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, and the housekeeper, Sir Tony Johnstone-Bert, to discuss "what specific job duties she can perform, if possible," when the Queen returns to Windsor Castle this fall.
"It's clear to everyone that despite her quick thinking, she's unwell and can't do the job. We had a serious discussion about what kind of responsibilities she would assume if she was competent. "In order to ensure that Charles can take over most of the day-to-day duties of the Queen, the royal family has put in place mechanisms in place." In other words, the British royal family was ready for Charles to begin "full regency except in name".
↑ In October 2021, the Queen and Charles take a walk at Balmoral Castle
Rebecca Inglighe, a British royal expert and royal editor, revealed that she had received a phone call on Tuesday night, saying: "It seems that the Queen will not return from Balmoral Fort in October." Everyone in Windsor was very worried about her. However, she said that this did not mean "bad news", but confirmed the previous rumors that after the death of Prince Philip, the Queen would move to Scotland almost full-time.
However, these things no longer matter with the queen's death. "But what we can be sure of is that the Queen spent the last hours of her life in the arms of her family, in a place where she spent many happy times with her beloved Philip, gazing at the Scottish Highlands she so cherished." Ingrid said.
"King Charles III" officially ascended the throne on the 10th
The official coronation will take some time
After the Queen's death, the UK will enter a 10-day period of national mourning. According to reports, the United Kingdom will hold the official enthronement ceremony of Charles III on the 10th local time. At that time, an official named Garter King of Arms will make a public declaration on the balcony of the Monastery of St. James's Palace, announcing that Charles will officially become king.
↑ As heir to the throne for 70 years, Charles is the longest reigning heir to the throne in British history
According to previously disclosed "London Bridge" documents, the day of the monarch's death will be called D day, and each day before the state funeral will be called "D+1" day, "D+2" day, etc. On D+1, the enthronement conference will be held at St. James's Palace, declaring the Crown Prince the new monarch. Charles will attend and take the oath, and the British Prime Minister and cabinet members will meet the new monarch on the same day.
↑Charles will officially ascend the throne on the 10th local time
When the Garter Heraldial Officer chants "Heavenly Blessing King", the British national anthem will be played, which will also be the first time since 1952 that the British national anthem will be played under the name of "Heavenly Blessing King". Meanwhile, Hyde Park, the Tower of London and naval ships will salute their cannons, and the proclamation declaring Charles king will be read simultaneously in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
However, due to the period of preparation that takes place, Charles's official coronation may not take place until several months later. Elizabeth II's coronation took place 16 months after her accession to the throne and was attended by heads of state around the world. Coronations have been held at Westminster Abbey for the past 900 years, and Charles will be the 40th British monarch to wear a crown here.
"Nosy" "King Charles III"
What kind of monarch will it be?
In the days to come, Charles will face a double challenge – bereavement and leading the mourning of the whole Commonwealth. One insider said Charles would focus on the individual and family, but for the British royal family it would be a matter of choosing the right words and deeds, which would both be in line with the atmosphere of mourning and lay the groundwork for a new reign.
In 2014, a British minister who had known Charles for many years revealed in an interview that when asked "what kind of king he would become," Charles replied that "he has always been faithful to his faith and contributed." Analysts say Charles will not reinvent himself into a monarch who remains out of political disputes following the "Queen Elizabeth II model," but will continue to try and stick to his "mode of interference."
Over the years, Charles has been a vocal advocate on various issues such as climate change, urban planning, agricultural development, and lobbied the government on this issue, and has been accused of "interfering in politics" many times. The most recent one occurred in June, when Charles was revealed to have expressed opposition after the British government's plans to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda were exposed, leading the royal family to once again be caught in the "interference" storm. Eventually, Clarence Palace issued a statement saying he would remain "politically neutral" as monarch.
Charles has long "ensured his opinions are heard," raising concerns among his advisers and friends that his approach "could jeopardize the long-term well-being of the monarchy itself," the report said. As a result, there are quite a few in British "official circles" who fear that Charles "will have a hard time ensuring that he is not seen as a nosy monarch". One person close to Charles said: "Being king does not stop Charles from being passionate about his faith, he was born a lobbyist. ”
The analysis points out that at a time when global politics and society are experiencing ups and downs, Charles has taken over the role of representing a stable monarch. For King Charles, the greatest challenge and legacy was how to maintain the image of the monarch and the popularity of the monarchy left by his mother, ensuring that "the throne was safely passed into the hands of his son William".
↑ One of the biggest challenges for King Charles was to ensure that the monarchy was safely passed on to his son William
In addition to continuing to be a "lobbyist", Charles also has a "mission" - to make the British royal family "slim down". The idea has reportedly been planted in Charles's "mind" since Princess Diana's death in the summer of 1997.
The report pointed out that to some extent, the big family of the British royal family has actually lost a lot of weight. Prince Harry withdrew from the royal family, and Prince Andrew was excluded from the scandal. At the 60th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne, she was left with only Charles, Camilla, William, Kate and their three children.
Compared to the lively scenes of previous generations of royals huddled together, the balconies of Buckingham Palace are already very empty. But that's Charles's vision of the future of the British royal family: a monarchy centered around the monarch and his successors, with few peripheral figures. Of course, "he could never have dreamed that there would be no Harry family in this slim family."
Red Star News reporter Xu Huan
Editor-in-charge Deng Xuguang Intern Editor Zhu Jieying
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