STORY – Throughout the United Kingdom, which mourns the disappearance of its Queen, it is time for meditation and unity around the new sovereign, Charles III.
London
Along the alleys of Hyde Park, in the heart of London, a compact crowd presses under the heavy and gray sky. Young, old, local residents and tourists. Some are dressed in their finery, others are in sportswear or work uniforms. They all head to the black and gold gate of Buckingham Palace, the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II who died on Thursday evening.
Upon arrival, they gather for a moment in front of the palace gates, place a bouquet of flowers on the ground, then leave in silence. “Thank you for being an inspiration and a pillar of dignity and stoicismreads one of the messages attached to the portal. Someone tied a black and white British flag to it, adorned with photos of the Queen in her youth and a quote: “Pain is the price we pay for love“. A little boy wearing a golden paper crown cries bitterly.
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«The Queen has always been there, in my life, whether in the media or on postage stampsslips Jenny, 74, shedding a tear. I was five when he was crowned.” She describes her as “a beautiful and dignified womanwho perfectly played the role of matriarch of the nation. “We never saw her lose her patience and she always had a smile for everyone.“, she continues. Despite the seriousness of her duties, the Queen had a good sense of humour, she recalls, citing a video filmed ahead of her Platinum Jubilee this spring in which she is seen having tea with the bear from Paddington and pull out a marmalade sandwich from her purse.
The Queen has always been there, in my life, whether in the media or on postage stamps. I was five when he was crowned
Jenny, 74 ans
Joshua, 31, believes she has played a crucial role in the UK in maintaining social cohesion. “It has placed itself above political disputes and social debates, serving as a unifying force, the cement of the nation., he explains. Rohan, 20, recalls that she bore the title of head of the British state and of the Commonwealth, a grouping of 56 countries from the colonial era. “She represented our country on the international stage and embodied our “British” identity.“, he says, specifying to be”still in shockin the face of his death. Jill, 61, says for her part that she “felt safewith the queen whom she perceived as “a guarantor of the country’s stability, a rock on which the nation could lean».
The symbolism of function
Several people who came to pay homage to him evoke his sense of sacrifice. “She dedicated herself body and soul to her function, without ever letting her emotions or personal torments show through.notes Joshua. Jenny, however, recalls that she has not always had an easy life. “It made her more humanshe slips. We were able to identify with her.” Despite the praise they weave her, most of these staunch royalists seem to have loved their queen more for the symbolism of her office than for her own characteristics. When asked about a highlight of her reign, they do not mention the visits she made to Northern Ireland during the Troubles, nor how she worked behind the scenes against apartheid in South Africa. South or to pacify the situation in the UK after the Brexit vote, but rather personal anecdotes. A royal garden party they attended or a childhood memory during the Queen’s Silver (1977) or Ruby (1992) Jubilee.
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Asked about his successor, King Charles III, the tone becomes less conciliatory. “He will be a very different monarch from Queen Elizabeth II, says Aisha, 45. I knew she would never say or do anything controversial. With him, nothing is less certain.” The many battles waged in recent decades by the heir to the throne, whether in favor of organic farming or against modernist architecture, have earned him some enemies. “But he also did a lot of good for the country, especially through his charitable works such as the Prince’s Trust. (an NGO that supports young people in difficulty, editor’s note), she nuances. We have to give it a chance.” If the monarchy is undoubtedly in a delicate transition phase, it is not about to fall, believes the Londoner. “The royal family remains very popular, as you can see“, she concludes, pointing to the growing crowd pressing in front of Buckingham Palace despite the pouring rain which has started to fall.
At noon, church bells rang across the country, including those of Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral in London where a religious ceremony in memory of the Queen took place at the end of the day in the presence of Premier Liz Truss and her ministers. At 1 p.m., 96 cannon shots, in reference to the age of the late sovereign, were fired across the country, notably from Hyde Park and the Tower of London, but also from the prehistoric site of Stonehenge or the enclave of Gibraltar, south of Spain.
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The beginnings of the new sovereign, who should be crowned in a year, will therefore be scrutinized carefully. And he took his first steps as king in London this Friday. After leaving the royal residence of Balmoral, where his mother’s remains still lay, Charles III returned to the capital. After crossing the city by car, it was in front of this same Buckingham Palace that he made his first public appearance around 2:00 p.m., dressed in a black suit, meeting the crowd, shaking hands with dozens of people. A spontaneous gesture which was not planned in the protocol and which was tasted in its fair measure, while Charles is far from having his mother’s popularity rating for the time being. A woman even kissed him on the cheek. “Hurrahs” rang out, as well as “We love you King Charles“. Some sang the national anthem.
“Lifetime Service”
With his wife Camilla, straight without her black dress, Charles contemplated the hundreds of bouquets deposited since the evening before against the gates of the palace. Then, the couple passed through the gates, rushing into the courtyard before disappearing into the imposing residence. The Royal Standard, the royal standard, was hoisted above the rooftops.
She placed herself above political disputes and societal debates, serving as a unifying force, the cement of the nation.
Joshua, 31 ans
For Charles III, the duties of the royal office began. In the Blue Drawing Room of the palace, he first had to record his first address to the nation as a monarch, so that it could be broadcast on television at 6 p.m. Always in costume, Charles III appeared moved, serious and warm. Recalling his mother’s commitment, when she became queen so young, the new king promised to “serve the British all his life». «This promise of service for life, I renew it to you todayhe said solemnly.
«Her dedication and devotion as Sovereign never wavered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.“, he continued. More intimately, he confided that his “beloved mother“had been a”inspiration” throughout his life: “We owe her the most sincere debt a family can owe to her mother, for her love, affection, guidance and example..” With a more political message, he promised to always defend “constitutional principles” from the country. He also declared his son William to become the new Prince of Wales. Not forgetting his second son, Harry, with whom relations are more difficult: “I express my love for Prince Harry and Meghan, who continue to build their lives abroad».
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It is this Saturday morning that Charles will be officially proclaimed king, after a meeting of the Council of Succession at Saint-James Palace. The proclamation will be read in public later from the balcony of this residence.
Meanwhile, on Friday, politicians hailed the new king. At the end of an extraordinary council of ministers, the British government said to itself “united in its support” to Charles III. A “moment of silencewas observed at the end of the meeting in memory of the deceased sovereign. A little later, during a tribute in Parliament, the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, dressed in black, greeted “one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known» et «the greatest diplomat” from the United Kingdom. The new head of government then had her first audience with Charles III, a particularly moving moment when she had been dubbed by her mother only three days earlier.
The national mourning must last until the day of the funeral, which could take place on Monday, September 19. The royal mourning, – which concerns the family, staff and representatives of the royal household – will last one more week. Throughout the country, it is time for meditation and unity. Railway and postal workers have suspended their strikes intended to protest against the soaring cost of living. The Bank of England has announced the postponement for a week of its much-awaited monetary policy meeting in the context of the current crisis. Many sporting events, such as Premier League matches but also the fashion shows of several designers, including Burberry, scheduled for next week during London Fashion Week, have also been postponed. Some stores have also closed their doors as a sign of mourning. Billboards everywhere display portraits of the deceased.
For the time being, the tributes to the remains of the queen will take place in Scotland, her coffin being transported to Holyroodhouse, royal residence in the capital Edinburgh. The public will be able to gather in front of the coffin of Elizabeth II at St Giles Cathedral for twenty-four hours, before it reaches London. Following the funeral at Westminster Abbey in London, the Queen will be laid to private burial in the Chapel at Windsor Castle. Her final resting place, alongside her husband Prince Philip, who has been resting there since the spring of 2021.