Britain’s Charles III makes his first televised address as king, a day after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 96.
King Charles III vowed Friday to emulate his late mother’s life of service to Britain and the Commonwealth, and elevated his heir William to become the new prince of Wales..
In his first spoken remarks since ascending the throne upon Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Charles also declared his “love” for his estranged younger son Harry and Harry’s wife Meghan.
Charles said he shared the public’s “sense of loss beyond measure” after his mother passed away on Thursday aged 96, after a record-breaking reign of 70 years.
“As the queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation.”
“To my darling mama, 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.”
But the highest title for the heir to the throne, prince of Wales, remained in the monarch’s gift to bestow or withhold.
“Today, I am proud to create William prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru (in Welsh), the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty,” Charles said.
“With Catherine beside him, our new prince and princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations where vital help can be given.”
“In a little over a week’s time we will come together as a nation, as a Commonwealth and indeed a global community, to lay my beloved mother to rest,” Charles said.
“In our sorrow, let us remember and draw strength from the light of her example,” he said.
Credit Bangkok Post
