King Charles III, who ascended the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, addressed a mourning Britain on Friday.
“The affection, admiration and respect she spanned became the hallmark of her reign,” the 73-year-old said in the prerecorded address. “And as every member of my family would testify, she combined these qualities with warmth, humor and an unerring ability always to see the best in people.”
The new monarch quickly took on royal duties, including greeting well-wishers at Buckingham Palace earlier in the day and taking his first audience with new British Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Elizabeth II died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96. She ascended the throne in 1953 and ruled for over 70 years, becoming the country’s longest-serving monarch. Her death inspired an outpouring of reactions, including from the world leaders who knew her, celebrities and the public, with online discourse also examining Britain’s legacy of colonialism.
The queen’s death initiated an official period of mourning in the U.K. The protocol was laid out in a series of official plans for the aftermath of the queen’s passing. Since she died in the Scottish royal estate, Balmoral, the plan’s name technically is Operation Unicorn — though if she had died in London, it would have been called Operation London Bridge.
British historian Andrew Roberts tells TODAY that according to Operation Unicorn, during the period of mourning, the queen’s coffin will be transported from Balmoral to Holyrood, the monarch’s official residence in Edinburgh, before heading onto St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, and then finally London, her final resting place. Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is expected to happen 10 days after her death.
Below, stay tuned for live updates on the queen’s funeral, the period of mourning, the rest of the royal family, and what happens after the death of the U.K.’s longest-serving monarch.
For further coverage of yesterday's events, read on here.
King Charles to be formally proclaimed King on Saturday
With the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, on Thursday, Charles automatically became the new British monarch. On Saturday, his new role will be officiated with a ceremony at St. James’s Palace in London.
According to New York Times, the televised ceremony will begin at 10 a.m London time.
Saturday's event is known as Accession Day and is not a coronation. A coronation event, which is much more celebratory, will likely come months after the queen's death.
As princess, Elizabeth served during World War II
Vice President Kamala Harris visits British Embassy to pay respects
Vice President Kamala Harris stopped by the British Embassy in Washington D.C. on Friday, Sept. 8, to pay her respects after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Harris brought a bouquet of flowers to the embassy. She and second gentleman Doug Emhoff signed the book of condolences.
Harris and Emhoff previously issued a statement about the death of the late monarch. On Thursday, they lauded the queen's "incredible life of service" and noted her "profound impact on countless lives and historic events."
"We send our condolences to the Royal Family and join the people of the United Kingdom and all those around the world who mourn her loss," the statement, shared to social media, said.
‘The Crown’ pauses production 'out of respect' after Queen Elizabeth’s death
Production on Netflix’s critically acclaimed series “The Crown” has paused in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death.
A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to TODAY that the series, which tracks the history of Queen Elizabeth II’s life and career and the ones of her family, was temporarily suspended “as a mark of respect” on Friday. The series is in the midst of production on its sixth season.
"Filming will also be suspended on the day of Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral," the statement continued.
Throughout the series, various actors have taken up the role of the late queen. For the show’s first two seasons, actor Claire Foy (“The Girl in the Spider’s Web”) played the role of Elizabeth in her early years as a princess and onto her role as a fully formed monarch. Seasons three and four of the show featured Olivia Colman (“Fleabag”) as the queen in her mid-life. The series’ upcoming fifth season— set to debut in November— will star “Harry Potter” star Imelda Staunton as the legendary queen.
Mourners in New York leave makeshift memorials for Queen Elizabeth
Thousands of miles from Balmoral Castle in Scotland where Queen Elizabeth II took her last breath on Thursday, mourners in New York City gathered outside the U.K. consulate to add flowers, pictures, and wreaths to the growing memorials made in the queen’s honor on Friday.
Inside the embassy lobby, visitors are encouraged to sign a book of condolences.
“I’m from Long Island. I took the train out to Manhattan here this morning,” Matthew Kogut, a New Yorker, told Associated Press. “The queen has always been an influence in a lot of people’s lives, she represents stability, and she’s the only queen I’ve known my entire life, and with her loss, I felt I needed to come (to) pay my respects to her and her family.”
Jennie Dighton, a U.K resident, happened to fly to New York on vacation the day of the queen's death. She told the Associated Press she visited the consulate to mourn.
“I wanted to come and say goodbye to her, and I can’t do it at home, so the British Embassy seemed the next best place to do it,” Dighton explained.
People also stopped to pay their respects at the Queen Elizabeth II 9/11 Garden in the financial district. The small 0.12 acre park was built in honor of the U.K. residents who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 attack and named after the late queen.
King Charles holds first audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss
King Charles III held his first audience with the United Kingdom’s newly appointed prime minister, Liz Truss, as part of his first full day of duties as sovereign.
The king met Truss in London at Buckingham Palace. During their interaction, Truss offered the king her sincerest condolences, and he expressed his appreciation for the public's support during his period of mourning.
“It’s been so touching, this afternoon when we arrived, all these people had come to give their condolences, put flowers (around),” he shared.
Later he remarked, “It’s the moment I’ve been dreading as I know a lot of people have, but you try to keep everything going.”
Will Queen Elizabeth be replaced by King Charles on British currency?
With King Charles III as the new reigning British monarch, questions have emerged about what his mother’s death means for the country’s banknotes and coins.
In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to appear on Bank of England paper notes.
Now, in a statement issued by the Bank of England on Thursday, the United Kingdom’s central bank reflected on her legacy and touched on the changes ahead.
“As the first monarch to feature on Bank of England banknotes, the Queen’s iconic portraits are synonymous with some of the most important work we do,” the statement explained. “Current banknotes featuring the image of Her Majesty The Queen will continue to be legal tender. A further announcement regarding existing Bank of England banknotes will be made once the period of mourning has been observed.”
Read more about the changes to the U.K.'s currency below.
How Queen Elizabeth's death impacts the royal family's line of succession
Queen Elizabeth II’s death established a new hierarchy and triggered a series of perennial traditions and protocols.
In addition to King Charles III’s automatic ascension to the throne, various members of the royal family have now climbed up the royal ranks and obtained new titles.
Charles’ wife, Camilla, is now known as the queen consort. Prince William, his son and heir, and wife Catherine have been named the Prince and Princess of Wales. The emergence of Charles as sovereign means that even the youngest members of the British royal family, such as his grandchildren Prince George to his grandaughter Lilibet, daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will have new titles, too.
Check out the changes below.
Charles ends his speech by thanking his mother
In his first address, Charles expressed a deep grief at the loss of his mother. He ended the address by thanking her.
"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.
Charles expresses his 'love' for Harry and Meghan
In his first address as king, Charles gave a message to Prince Harry, his youngest son and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Harry and Meghan stepped back from their duties as senior royals in 2020 and now live in California.
"I want also to express my love for Harry and Megan, as they continue to build their lives overseas," Charles said.