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The new King Charles III emerges to lead a nation in mourning: Emotional monarch is seen leaving Balmoral with Queen Consort Camilla at his side as he returns to London ahead of his address to the UK after his beloved mother’s death
An emotional King Charles III emerged for the first time today as Britain’s new monarch as he left Balmoral to address the nation just hours after the death of his beloved mother.
Both the King and his Queen Consort Camilla were visibly upset as they left the Scottish estate to make their way to London just before 11.30am this morning.
Charles and his wife stayed at Balmoral overnight after racing up to be at the bedside of the Queen, whose death was announced to the nation yesterday evening.
Dressed in a black suit and tie, the pensive King Charles arrived at Aberdeen Airport just after midday to catch a flight to the capital, where he will meet Prime Minister Liz Truss before making a televised statement to the nation at 6pm.
They were driven in a grey Audi saloon and followed by their protection team in a Land Rover.
The King will be proclaimed at the Accession Council at 10am on Saturday in the State Apartments of St James’s Palace, Buckingham Palace said.
Charles has also instructed a period of royal mourning from now until seven days after his mother’s funeral – a date yet to be confirmed.
The other senior royals – Prince William, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex – are expected to stay at Balmoral.
A Buckingham Palace source told MailOnline: ‘King Charles must return to London to attend to matters of state. But the other senior royal will spend a day of quiet reflection at Balmoral Castle.’
Charles yesterday paid tribute to the Queen, who he described as a ‘cherished Sovereign and much-loved Mother’ as he was confirmed as Britain’s new monarch.
He will now be known by the regnal name of King Charles III, Clarence House has confirmed. As his full name is Charles Philip Arthur George there was a chance that he could have opted to use one of these names instead.
His statement read: ‘The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
‘We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother.
‘I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.
An emotional King Charles III left Balmoral this morning alongside his Queen Consort Camilla to travel down to London ahead of his first speech to the nation as monarch
Queen Consort Camilla also appeared to have teary eyes as she sat in the front seat en route to Aberdeen Airport
King Charles III arrives at Aberdeen Airport
A vehicle carrying Britain’s King Charles leaves Balmoral Castle, following the passing of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth
King Charles III and the Queen Consort leave Birkhall in Scotland as they travel to London following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday
The King (pictured looking emotional on his way out of Balmoral this morning) has also instructed a period of royal mourning from now until seven days after his mother’s funeral – a date yet to be confirmed
The King will travel down to London today with his Queen Consort Camilla at his side as he prepares to give a speech to a nation in mourning (pictured with his wife and mother on the balcony during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June)
Charles has released a statement about the death of Queen Elizabeth, describing her as a ‘cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother’
The King will return to the capital today, before meeting Prime Minister Liz Truss and making a televised statement at 6pm
His Majesty the King said his mother’s death yesterday will be ‘deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world’ (pictured in 2009 during a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show)
The Queen is seen with her eldest son King Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, kisses his mother as she arrives to attend a 90th Birthday Celebration show at Windsor Castle on May 15, 2016
June 4, 2002: The Queen celebrating her Golden Jubilee with King Charles, Prince William, Sophie, Countess of Wessex and other members of the Royal family
The Queen and the then Prince Charles are seen out walking in Balmoral in October 2021. It was one of the last times the mother and son were pictured together
Charles and Diana kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace next to the Queen in July 29 1981 – but their marriage would end in 1995
‘During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.’
Charles was by his mother’s side for much of the day after catching the royal helicopter from Dumfries House in Ayrshire with his wife Camilla.
His younger sister Princess Anne was already at Balmoral after royal duties also took her to Scotland.
Prince Charles left Dumfries House in Ayrshire earlier to travel to Balmoral
They were joined by other senior members of the Royal Family including Her Majesty’s other two children, Andrew and Edward, and Prince William.
The family rushed to the Queen’s Scottish residence after an unprecedented statement from her doctors revealed they were ‘concerned’ about her health and were keeping her under medical supervision.
Charles is becoming monarch at 73 years old, nearly half a decade older than the Queen was when she found herself in the same position.
He is likely to launch a radical overhaul of the monarchy in the wake of his mother’s death, having frequently spoken about a slimmed-down front-line.
Royal watchers believe the former Prince of Wales is keen to ensure there are ‘no hangers-on’ in the Firm, with each member being expected to pull their weight in a new and more streamlined monarchy.
The concept of the ‘slimmed-down monarch’ was clear to see during the Platinum Jubilee in June when the Queen restricted those appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony to working members of the Royal Family.
But King Charles’ original model, which reportedly involved a tight core of just seven people, including himself, has been thrown into doubt following a series of external events.
The plan, put in motion before the Queen’s death, originally included the long-reigning monarch along with Prince Philip, King Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Kate and Prince Harry.
Philip died aged 99 in 2021, while Harry’s future in the slimmed-down monarchy seems hugely doubtful following his decision to quit front line royal duties and move to America with his wife Meghan Markle.
Meanwhile, Prince Andrew, who would likely have featured in a slimmed-down monarchy as a son of the Queen and King Charles’ brother, has been outcast since his US sex assault lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre.
But that has pushed Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, into the fray as ‘key’ parts of Prince Charles’ future monarchy, according to royal watchers.
As Charles becomes King, Prince William is to become the new Prince of Wales, with his wife Kate Middleton taking on the new title of the Princess of Wales.
The Queen with her eldest son Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall ahead of the annual Order of the Garter service at St George’s Chapel on June 13, 2022
One of the Royal Family’s helicopters landed at Balmoral yesterday morning, believed to be carrying Prince Charles and Camilla. All the Queen’s children rushed to be there
The Queen and the now King Charles, dressed in full military uniform, welcomed a small number of healthcare professionals to the ornate confines of Windsor Castle on July 12 2020
The royal family walk their corgis at Balmoral on September 18, 1957 – from left: Philip, Anne, the Queen and a young Charles
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and their children Anne, Edward and Charles in Windsor in April 1965
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip with their children Charles and Anne at Sandringham in 1970
Queen Elizabeth II poses for a photograph with Princess Diana and Prince Charles in 1980, who married one year later
March 9, 2020: The Queen and Charles attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day
As the new King, Charles will be front-and-centre of the new-look monarchy. Alongside his reported desire to slim-down the size of the family, the biggest immediate change will be his residence.
The former Prince of Wales’s official residence has been Clarence House, on The Mall in the City of Westminster, since 2003.
While the Queen’s official residence has been Buckingham Palace, she spent much of her time at her favoured Windsor Castle following the death of her beloved Prince Philip.
According to royal biographer Penny Junor in her book ‘The Firm’, the Queen wanted to remain living at Clarence House after her father’s death, but was convinced by Winston Churchill to move to Buckingham Palace – because of its significance as the home of the monarch.
It is believed Kings Charles will follow in his mother’s footsteps and move into Buckingham Palace.
One royal source told the Mail on Sunday in February 2022: ‘There is no question about it. HRH’s view is that you need a monarch at monarchy HQ. This has never been in doubt.
‘The Prince of Wales will not move into Buckingham Palace before he is king. But when he is, he absolutely will.
‘Just like the Queen, it will effectively be in the ‘flat above the shop’. He feels it is right, just as the Queen does, to work out of Buckingham Palace.
‘The Palace will still be a working and entertaining hub and will also still be open to visitors. It is a hugely important tourist attraction.
‘But the prince can still live there at the same time, much like he does at Highgrove, which is also open to the public.’
