The following proclamation was issued by the Privy Council, meeting at St James’s Palace on Saturday, 10 September 2022.
A PROCLAMATION
Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of Blessed and Glorious Memory, by whose Decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George: We, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm and Members of the House of Commons, together with other members of Her late Majesty’s Privy Council and representatives of the Realms and Territories, Aldermen and Citizens of London, and others, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now, by the Death of our late Sovereign of Happy Memory, become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories, King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom we do acknowledge all Faith and Obedience with humble Affection; beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign to bless His Majesty with long and happy Years to reign over us.
Given at St. James’s Palace this tenth day of September in the year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty-two.
A Tribute by the Lord Warden
The moment has arrived which we knew was inevitable, but which we hoped would never come. After a reign of 70 years, the longest of any British monarch, the death has been announced of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Like her father, King George VI, the young Princess Elizabeth spent her early years not expecting to ascend the Throne but, when duty called, she rose to the challenge and has served Her people, at home and throughout the Commonwealth, with selfless devotion. The oldest amongst us will remember and others will have seen the newsreel footage of the 18-year old Princess, towards the end of the Second World War, driving and maintaining trucks as a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) and the splendid spectacle of Her Coronation, in 1953. In the years since, many will have seen Her in person and others will have watched on television as she has worked tirelessly, visiting every part of the United Kingdom and every corner of the Commonwealth, supporting local communities and worthy causes. Never before, has a King or Queen been so much in the public eye.
In 1952, on the Queen’s accession, one of my predecessors as Lord Warden, Sir Winston Churchill, said that “There is no doubt that of all the institutions which have grown up among us over the centuries, or sprung into being in our lifetime, the constitutional monarchy is the most deeply founded and dearly cherished … In the present generation it has acquired a meaning incomparably more powerful than anyone had dreamed possible in former times.” During Her long reign, the Queen has had 15 Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and governments with very different priorities and programmes. She has studied the vast array of State papers assiduously and offered wise counsel to them all, whilst observing strict, political neutrality. Indeed, she has set a fine example to constitutional monarchs everywhere.
It has been my honour and privilege to serve our late Queen for over 60 years, first as an officer in the Royal Navy and more recently as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Her appointed link with that ancient institution which provided a precursor of the modern fleet; and where I succeeded Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Again, to quote Sir Winston Churchill in 1952, looking forward to a new Elizabethan era, “famous have been the reigns of our queens. Some of the greatest periods in our history have unfolded under their sceptre.” Times and our nation’s place in the World have changed but, in so many ways, that is no less true of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II than it was of her illustrious predecessors.
The Crown and the burden of Monarchy have now passed to His Majesty King Charles III. During his long tenure as heir apparent he, like his mother, has been subjected to intense media coverage and speculation. Increasingly called upon in recent years to deputise for the Queen, both at home and abroad, he has already been designated to succeed Her as Head of the Commonwealth. We all feel we know him and we trust that he will build upon the firm foundations laid by his predecessors, so that the Monarchy retains it’s place in the life and affections of our nation.
God save the King!
Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Boyce KG GCB OBE DL
Lord Warden and Admiral of the Cinque Ports & Constable of Dover Castle
Walmer Castle
Dated: 10th September, 2022.
You are invited to sign the Buckingham Palace on-line book of condolence.
Proceed to the Confederation of the Cinque Ports website