King Charles III is proclaimed to the nation as new head of state
The Accession Council has formally confirmed the the new monarch.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The nation’s new monarch King Charles III has been formally declared head of state during a historic ceremony televised for the first time.
Charles’s role as King and the name he will use was confirmed during a meeting of the Accession Council attended by privy councillors at St James’s Palace in London.
Following tradition, the new King was missing from proceedings and did not witness senior figures from national life including the Queen, the new Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister taking part in the ceremony.
Broadcast cameras were allowed into the historic event giving the world a first glimpse of an ancient ceremony dating back centuries – and one of the first changes to convention instigated by the new King.
More than 200 privy councillors – a group of mostly senior politicians past and present, some members of the monarchy and other national figures – were present to hear the Clerk of the Council read the Accession Proclamation.
The new monarch became King the moment his mother died, but an Accession Council must be convened following the death of a sovereign – usually within 24 hours.