Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son, Prince Charles, 73, the former Prince of Wales immediately became king of Britain, Jamaica, and the rest of the Commonwealth following her death Thursday afternoon at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Charles, the longest serving heir in British history, will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms.
According to the rules of the British monarchy, “a new sovereign succeeds to the throne as soon as his or her predecessor dies.”
The “Accession Council” formally proclaims a new sovereign as soon as possible at St. James’s Palace in London within 24 hours of a monarch’s death; however, Charles’ formal coronation may take months or even longer.
In the Queen’s case, her coronation came on June 2, 1953, 16 months after her accession on February 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI, died.
Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying, “The King and Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
A look at the formalities that follow Prince Charles’ accession to the throne:
— Within 24 hours of a monarch’s death, a new sovereign is proclaimed formally as soon as possible at St. James’s Palace in London by the “Accession Council.” The council comprises officials from the Privy Council, which includes senior Cabinet ministers, judges, and leaders of the Church of England, who are summoned to the palace for the meeting.
— Parliament is then recalled for lawmakers to take their oaths of allegiance to the new monarch.
— The new monarch will swear an oath before the Privy Council in St. James’s Palace to maintain the Church of Scotland, according to the Act of Union of 1707.
— The proclamation of the new sovereign is then publicly read out at St. James’s Palace, as well as in Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast – the capital cities of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom.
— Charles must declare to Parliament on the first day of its session following the accession, or at the coronation, whichever is first, that he is a faithful Protestant. The oath is mandated by the Accession Declaration Act of 1910.
— He must also take a coronation oath as prescribed by the Coronation Oath Act of 1689, the Act of Settlement of 1701, and the Accession Declaration Act.
— He must be in communion with the Church of England, a flexible rule which allowed King George I and King George II to reign even though they were Lutherans.
