Friday 9 September 2022 06:07 PM King Charles III makes historic first speech to the nation trends now

King Charles III is giving a televised address to the nation for the first time as sovereign following his mother the Queen's death yesterday. 

The address is being shown on screens at St Paul's Cathedral, where a service of reflection is being held attended by 2,000 members of the public who were handed tickets on a first-come-first-served basis. 

Prime Minister Liz Truss will give a reading at the service, having met Charles, 73, earlier today at their first in-person meeting at Buckingham Palace.  

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Labour leader Keir Starmer, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly are all in attendance at the service and are sat together.

They could be seen chatting together ahead of the service.

In a separate area, the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker are sat together while Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Nadhim Zahawi is sat with Lord High Chancellor Brandon Lewis.

The rest of the congregation looked solemn as they listen to the music playing at the start of the service. 

Earlier, huge crowds cheered the new monarch as he arrived at Buckingham Palace in a vintage Rolls-Royce alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort, before he got out and began shaking hands with countless well-wishers.  

In moving scenes, shouts of God Save the King broke out before an impromptu rendition of the National Anthem, with the words changed to reflect the new monarch. 

As the sun shone on an otherwise dull, damp day, the Royal Standard was raised above Buckingham Palace for the first time of his reign.

Onlookers shouted three cheers for Charles at Buckingham Palace as one woman leaned over to kiss him on the hand and another asked 'Can I kiss you?' before pecking him on the cheek.  

The King's historic Accession Council will be held on Saturday at 10am in St James's Palace. It will be televised for the first time in its history, showing the King being formally proclaimed monarch and Charles making his declaration and oath.

A Principal Proclamation will be read in public for the first time by the Garter King of Arms in the open air from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James's an hour later at 11am.

It will be followed by a flurry of proclamations around the country, with the second one in the City of London at the Royal Exchange at midday on Saturday, and further proclamations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales at midday on Sunday.  

At Buckingham Palace this afternoon, onlookers held out red roses for the King as the Queen Consort followed behind at a distance before joining her husband at his side to view the floral tributes left outside the gates.

The King was heard telling well-wishers, 'Thank you so much, it's so kind, it really is', 'God bless you' and 'I've really dreaded this day' during the 15-minute walkabout. 

One woman shouted to him, 'We love you King Charles and we loved your mum'. 

As a bugle sounded, Charles, dressed in mourning black suit and tie, walked side by side with Camilla - who seemed close to tears - through the main entrance of Buckingham Palace.

Film director Raynald Leconte, 47, who is from New York, said he was lucky enough to speak to the King and Queen Consort outside Buckingham Palace.

'It was quite a moment,' he said. 'I said, 'condolences'. He said, ''really, really thank you very much''. And to his wife I wished her good luck and she said, ''thank you very much''. I think she said, ''I'll need it''.'

Mother of three Stella Johnson said: 'I think he will be wonderful, and I just wanted to come here to see him. This is really a historic moment and I wanted to make sure I did not miss it.'

Further back in the crowd, a former Guardsman, who asked not to be named, gave the crowd a running commentary as he was tall enough to see over the crowds and pick out Charles as he met mourners.

He also talked them through the protocol of the Guards who had assembled in the Palace forecourt to salute the new King as he made his way into the Palace. 

One of the first to offer words of support to the new King was Laura Ohmona. She said after shaking hands with Charles: 'I said to him 'sorry for your loss' and he said 'thank-you'.' 

Also among the crowds at Buckingham Palace was retired Ammar Al-Baldawi, 64, from Hertfordshire, who said: 'It was impressive, touching, a good move to come out to the crowds.

'I think that's where the royal family needs to communicate with the people now. These are true loyalists here and it's nice to see him back in post, taking charge of the family and the Crown, which is reassuring.' 

Colin Hennessy, 52, said: 'It's great to see the King. You can see he's very emotional but he was very grateful to everybody here. He thanked as many people as he could as he walked by.'   

Joyce Curtis, 72, from Jersey, said: 'I just wanted to be here. It was great. I have respect for him. He walked all the way along to see the people and back to see the flowers. It is what the people wanted to see, which is great.' 

Emma Spreckley, 43, had travelled to Buckingham Palace with her friend Jacqueline Southwick, 55, from their homes in Mitcham, south London.

She was sympathetic to the grieving King: 'He looked a bit shocked, I suppose he is as it's your mum at the end of the day, and now he's here shaking people's hands and trying to, I suppose, get through it as best he can.'

In reference to the thousands who were at the palace to pay their respects to the late Queen, Ms Southwick added 'Seeing all this - he's got the support of the nation.' 

Meanwhile, John Hardy said he was confident Charles would be a calming influence on the country when he is finally crowned King.

'It does seem that he has been around for such a long time that we've all known him. No one will ever replace the Queen and the affection she has held for everyone in this country.

'But I think Charles has a lot of respect and people will support him.'           

The couple had landed at RAF Northolt just after 1.30pm after leaving Balmoral, where they had stayed overnight after racing up to be at the late Queen's bedside. 

Charles has already turned his hand to his duties as monarch despite his grief. He gave the order that a period of 'Royal Mourning' for the Queen will be observed from now until seven days after her funeral.

Royal Mourning will be observed by members of the royal family, royal household staff and representatives of the royal Household on official duties, together with troops committed to ceremonial duties.

The Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge is also travelling back to Windsor to be with his family ahead of the Accession Council, which William will attend.