2 days after his mother’s death, Charles III was proclaimed king

Two days after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles III was formally declared monarch of the United Kingdom during a historic ceremony.

The proclamation took place in a ceremony known as the Accession Council on Saturday at St. James’s Palace in London.

For all prior British monarchs, the council was conducted in private, but for Charles, it was aired live.

According to a statement released to Insider by Buckingham Palace, members of the monarch’s advisory body, the Privy Council, proclaimed Charles, 73, king during the first half of the two-part ceremony.

Prince William, who inherited Charles’ former title as the Prince of Wales, which is typically held by the successor to the throne, was also expected to be due.

BBC said that in the second half of the ceremony, Charles will hold his first Privy Council meeting, when he will speak about the death of his mother and pledge to carry out certain monarchical tasks.

At 2019, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles participated in the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster.

Photograph by Paul Edwards – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Despite the tradition of the Accession Council, the ceremony was not necessary for Charles to become the “formal” heir of Queen Elizabeth II. He became monarch on Thursday, when she died at her Balmoral, Scotland, castle.

Following the ceremony, many proclamations declaring the new monarch will be read throughout the United Kingdom.

To symbolize Charles’ new position as monarch, flags were ordered to fly at full mast throughout the United Kingdom until one hour after the final proclamation is read in Scotland.

The flags will remain at half-staff for seven days after Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, symbolizing the period of national sorrow for the monarch.