Prince William and King Charles’ olive branch to Harry and Meghan Markle led to 45-min negotiation

The historic joint walkabout between William and Kate and Meghan and Harry only took place after an extended negotiation which delayed the Sussexes arrival by at least 45 minutes, a source suggested today.  

Royal sources say Prince William attempted to bury the hatchet by extending an ’11th-hour olive branch’ to his younger brother Prince Harry, by asking him to join him on a walkabout outside Windsor Castle following a phone call with his father Charles III. 

In a scene that clearly delighted royal fans, who had come in their hundreds to the gates of the Windsor estate to mourn the Queen’s death, William and Harry walked out side-by-side with wives Kate and Meghan.

The two couples went on an 40-minute walkabout inspecting the sea of floral tributes laid outside the gates of the royal estate in honour of the much-loved monarch. 

Last night, a Kensington Palace spokesman said that the Prince of Wales had invited the Sussexes to join him and the Princess of Wales during yesterday evening’s walkabout. 

However, according to The Times, the camps required extended negotiations beforehand which delayed their arrival by 45 minutes.

A senior Palace source said: ‘The Prince of Wales invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to join him and the Princess of Wales earlier. The Prince of Wales thought it was an important show of unity for the Queen at an incredibly difficult time for the family.’ 

Experts predict the moment could provide a turning point in the frayed relationship between newly-titled Waleses, and the Sussexes, who have been at odds following a series of damaging interviews by Harry and Meghan.

The Montecito-based Sussexes were consequently in the UK on a pseudo royal tour when the Queen’s health suddenly deteriorated on Thursday. 

It is believed the Sussexes had not previously made any plans to meet with the Waleses, despite staying in Frogmore Cottage, just 700 yards from William and Kate’s Adelaide Cottage. However both William and Harry raced to Balmoral on Thursday after it became clear the Queen’s health was faltering.    

The Sussexes’ friend and preferred journalist Omid Scobie later claimed on Twitter that the invitation was made at the ’11th hour’. 

However, hinting that William is prepared to extend Harry an olive branch and work towards melting the ice between them, he declared: ‘It is, without a doubt, a significant moment in the history of the relationship between the two brothers’. 

Yesterday’s surprise appearance is thought to be the first time that the two couples have all been in public together since Commonwealth Day on March 9, 2020.

And it is the first time William and Harry have been seen together in public since they joined for the opening of the memorial in honour of their mother, Princess Diana.

Harry and Meghan, who sensationally quit frontline duties two years ago to strike out on their own in California and then levied a series of bombshell allegations against The Firm, held hands as they looked at the tributes, with Harry at one point affectionately putting his hand on Meghan’s back. They were seen pointing at different tributes and discussing them as members of the crowd waved at them.

At one moment, a small Paddington Bear toy was given to William, which he passed on to an aide. He was seen lightly touching Kate’s back at one poignant moment. At one point Kate crouched down and began speaking to a child who had started to cry. The child stopped crying when Kate approached her. 

One well-wisher said Kate ‘welled up’ as she told children that her youngest son Louis – who stole the hearts of the nation during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations – consoled her by telling her: ‘At least Grannie is with great grandpa now.’

In footage from their walkabout, Prince Harry spoke about the feeling in Windsor Castle since his grandmother’s death.

It is ‘a lonely place up there now without her,’ he told well-wishers, adding: ‘every room she was in, we felt her presence throughout’.

Another royal fan who spoke to Harry and Meghan told MailOnline: ‘It’s lovely to see them both together. Maybe they can get back to a proper relationship. Lovely ripple went through the crowd as they approached. Hopefully the healing between Harry and his brother can start now. I’m just so excited to have seen them both together. It’s lovely.’

Another added: ‘It might build some bridges. It might have been the Queen’s wish.’ And one girl, who hugged Meghan during the walkabout, said she was pleased to see the Waleses and the Sussexes back together again.

Just moments earlier, the Prince of Wales paid an emotional tribute to his late ‘Grannie’, describing the beloved monarch as an ‘extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute’ and admitting it would be ‘some time’ before her loss ‘will truly feel real’.

Last night he posted another moving tribute to the Queen on Instagram, writing that she was ‘by my side at my happiest moments’ and ‘during the saddest days of my life’ – a reference to the death of his mother, Princess Diana. 

On another historic day:  

•  Her Majesty’s oak coffin, which is lying in the Ballroom at Balmoral Castle, will be taken by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, on a six-hour journey by hearse;
• The Queen will then lie in state for ‘four clear days’ in Westminster Hall from Wednesday September 14 before the state funeral;

At Windsor, a member of the crowd was seen telling the Prince of Wales that they ‘loved him’ during the visit. One person was seen saying to William: ‘I love you William’ while others called out his name. ‘Hi, hi, hello, everyone’, he replied to those saying hello, and said: ‘Thank you, thank you so much’ to others while shaking their hands.

Another member of the crowd was seen giving William a bottle with flowers inside, which the Prince of Wales remarked was ‘well adapted’.

William appeared to be in good spirits while he met well-wishers, at some points laughing and joking with members of the crowd. In other moments he was seen being more sombre while having candid conversations with the public.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex was seen being given a close hug by a young girl in the crowd at Windsor Castle.

Meghan walked over to a section of the crowd and approached a teenager, who was seen putting her hand over her mouth in shock. The pair spoke briefly for a few moments and Meghan could be seen assuring her by putting her hand on her shoulder.

The girl then said: ‘Can I have a hug?’ and Meghan was seen nodding, before leaning in and giving her a big hug. The touching moment was filmed by other members in the crowd.

The 14-year-old later spoke to American news channel, CNN. She said: ‘We were waiting for them to come and she came in and asked my name and how long I was waiting and I asked if she can have a hug, and she hugged me back. It was an amazing moment, I’m still shaking now.

Asked why she felt like she wanted to hug her, she said: ‘Everyone was kind of cheering me on and I guess I felt like I needed to in the way, because I look up to her in someway and it felt like the right thing to do.

Asked if she felt sorry for her, she replied: ‘Because of the Queen died, but also because of everything (with the Royal Family) but I thought it was quite nice to see William and Kate and Meghan and Harry together. I just wanted to show that she was welcome here (in the UK).’

One mourner said: ‘We couldn’t believe it when the gates opened, and we saw William and Harry walk down with Meghan and Kate.  

‘I’ll be honest there was a little bit of a groan when Harry and Meghan came down our side, but I passed him a bunch of flowers and he was happy to take them. 

‘I’m pleased that they came out together and as a family I’m delighted that they all took the time to come and say hello to the crowds. 

‘Sad things like funerals bring families together so I hope that when they get back to California they think long and hard about everything that’s happened.’ 

Scott and Penny Dunn, who live locally with their daughters Olivia and Ruby, 13 and 10, were also among the many well-wishers.

Mrs Dunn, 42, told The Telegraph: ‘They asked our daughters what flowers they bought, we brought roses because the Queen was very special.

‘I said it was lovely to see both of the boys together. She said “at times like this you’ve got to come together”, which I thought was really nice. It’s nice to see them together.’

Mr Dunn, 46, added: ‘It was a real privilege. She asked the girls how old they were and where they’ve come from. It was amazing.’

Winnie Davidge, 13, from Godalming, Surrey asked Harry: ‘Are you missing the Queen?’ He replied: ‘The castle feels so quiet. You can feel her presence in every room.’

Jacqui Carbery, 48, of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, who spoke to William, said: ‘I told him I was so sorry for his family’s loss.

‘I told him his grandmother was such a remarkable woman. He said to me, “It’s difficult to put into words how much she meant to me and to everyone”,’ according to The Sun. 

While the Prince of Wales was greeting the public, sensei Amie Benton also offered Prince William karate lessons. She told him he could call her if he needed her help and was ‘only round the corner’. William added he needed to get fitter.

And a family of Manchester United fans bonded with the Duke of Sussex outside Windsor Castle.

Angela Fleming, 35, Jenson Fleming, six, Jacob Fleming, nine, Jamie Thomas, nine, Mason Thomas, 16, Jo Brown, 38, and Debbie Brown, 60, from Windsor and Bracknell, Berkshire, had been waiting for over an hour when the duke and duchess approached them.

Harry clearly noticed Jacob, Jamie and Jenson’s Manchester United shirts as he said: ‘You all support Manchester United?’

When they confirmed that they did, the duke shook Jacob, Jamie and Jenson’s hands and said: ‘How very convenient. I’m just glad you’re supporting the same team, how long have you been here for?’

Ms Brown said: ‘About an hour and a half but it was worth it.’ Harry replied: ‘Thank you for that. At least it’s not raining.’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plunged the monarchy into crisis during the twilight years of the Queen’s reign after sensationally quitting frontline royal duties and moving to California two years ago – a saga which precipitated the rift between Harry and his brother William, allegations of racism against the royals and claims the Firm failed to help a suicidal Meghan.

After their bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Harry appeared to suggest, in a mental health podcast, that his father and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had all failed as parents – while the family was still mourning Prince Philip’s death last year.

The Duke of Sussex had grief etched on his face as he was swept into the grounds of Windsor Castle yesterday afternoon after losing a race against time to get to his grandmother’s bedside before she died on Thursday.

King Charles III went to Buckingham Palace to meet fellow mourners this afternoon where he shook hands and accepted their condolences to cries of ‘God save the King’ and impromptu renditions of the national anthem. One woman kissed him on the cheek. He also inspected flowers and tributes left for his late mother at the gates before entering the palace.

Harry landed at Heathrow this lunchtime after jumping on an early morning BA flight where he comforted an airport worker with a reassuring hand on her shoulder after she gave him her condolences.

He left Balmoral after 12 hours mourning his grandmother with his father and brother – but despite the brevity of the visit, the Sussexes are not expected to return to California until after the state funeral, currently expected to be ten days from now on Monday, September 19.

The Duke of Sussex was the last royal to arrive at the Aberdeenshire castle and the first to leave.

Harry and Meghan’s titles have not changed, and, although the duke has moved up from sixth to fifth in line to the throne, he is still too far down the line of succession to ever be expected to be king.

The Sussexes’ children, Archie and Lili, are now, as the grandchildren of a monarch, a prince and a princess. But it is not known whether they will use the titles, which they were not entitled to when they were born.

Following the death of the Queen, Harry and Meghan are left with Charles as King and head of The Firm, and William elevated to the key role of heir apparent.

While Harry and Meghan appeared to have invested their time developing their bond with the Queen, their relationship with Charles and William has been greatly troubled.

In April 2022, Harry, after meeting the Queen face to face for the first time in two years, told US network NBC he was making sure she was ‘protected’ and had the ‘right people around her’. He sidestepped a question about whether he missed Charles and William, having met his father for just 15 minutes while briefly back in the UK.

In the Oprah interview in 2021, Harry said he felt let down by Charles and that ‘there’s a lot of hurt that’s happened’, and said his father stopped taking his calls in the build-up to their Megxit announcement.

In a move likely to have enraged William, Meghan accused the Duchess of Cambridge of making her cry in the run-up to her wedding, and the palace of failing to correct reports that it had been the other way round.

In 2019 Harry laid bare his rift with William, telling an ITV documentary crew that he and William were on ‘different paths’ and had good and bad days. He went on to tell Oprah that he loved his brother but their relationship was ‘space at the moment’, adding ‘time heals all things, hopefully’.

The royals are also bracing themselves for Harry’s memoirs, due out later in 2022, amid fears they could reopen old wounds and spark a new crisis.

Harry travelled to Balmoral to join his father, brother and family at the Queen’s bedside, but Meghan remained down south.

Harry headed back to Meghan at 8.28am, where he was sat alone in the rear of a Range Rover as he was driven out of the Royal Family’s Scottish home, where he had arrived at 7.52pm last night. He was swept into Aberdeen airport at 9.20am, led by five police outriders, and boarded a flight to London leaving at 10am.

Harry wore a black suit and carried a shoulder bag as he walked towards the steps of the plane. An airport worker offered her sympathies as the Prince was about to walk up the steps of a British Airways aircraft.

The woman, who was dressed in a high- visibility yellow jacket, addressed Prince Harry. The royal smiled and patted her gently in the shoulder before boarding the aircraft for London’s Heathrow Airport.

Grief was written on the duke’s face after he landed in Scotland yesterday – 15 minutes after Her Majesty’s death was announced to the world. He had his head bowed and partially covered his face as he was driven out of Aberdeen airport, arriving at Balmoral after dark. He left 12 hours later.

Prince William had flown up on a RAF jet with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie. But it is understood that they did not reach the estate before she passed. Initial reports had said his younger brother would also be on board. 

But instead Harry was in mid air when Buckingham Palace announced the death of his beloved grandmother.

He flew by private jet from Luton Airport, arriving at Balmoral an hour and a half after the historic statement.

Courtiers issued the declaration at 6.30pm – just over an hour after Prince William and other senior royals had arrived to join Prince Charles at the Queen’s residence. Liz Truss was told at around 4.30pm, Downing Street said.

But when the world was being told the saddest of news, Harry’s Cessna was still in the air, making its approach to Aberdeen Airport.

The Duke of Sussex’s flight had been due to land at 6.29pm, a minute before the statement. But it was 20 minutes late taking off from London’s Luton Airport – with flight data showing it departed at 5.35pm. It took one hour and 11 minutes to reach Aberdeen.

By the time he landed, at 6.46pm, it was 16 minutes after the palace had made the announcement.

Harry then faced a lonely drive to the castle, finally arriving at 7.52pm where he joined other members of the Royal Family in mourning the Queen’s death.

He looked ashen-faced on the back seat of the Range Rover as it swept into the Balmoral estate. 

As well as losing a beloved grandmother, he may have been reflecting on his future without her as monarch.

She remained fond of him, in spite of recent challenges, and he was said to have retained an ability to make her laugh.

By the time he arrived, his and Meghan’s Archewell website homepage had been replaced with a respectful blackedout page with the words: ‘In loving memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022.’

Earlier in the day there had been confusion over whether Meghan was also on her way to Scotland.

The duke, grieving for his grandmother, will be expected to attend the Queen’s funeral, with Meghan also likely to join him. She missed Philip’s funeral in 2021 while heavily pregnant with daughter Lili.

An absentee duchess would be seen as a snub and disrespectful, but a public appearance with Harry alongside the rest of the royal family could prove immensely difficult.

When King George VI died, his brother, the former Edward VIII, returned for the funeral, but his American wife, the Duchess of Windsor, formerly Wallis Simpson, for whom he gave up the throne, was absent.

She remained in the United States, where they were living at the time.

Former Suits actress Meghan was the first American divorcee to marry a senior royal since Mrs Simpson, and both she and Harry moved across the Atlantic to California after quitting as senior working royals in March 2020.

William revealed how Her Majesty – who sadly passed away at Balmoral Castle on Thursday afternoon aged 96 – had provided him and his wife Kate ‘wisdom and reassurance’ and their children ‘memories that will last their whole lives’.

The Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge, as William will now known after his father King Charles III acceded to the throne, said: ‘On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute. So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign.

‘I, however, have lost a grandmother. And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful. I have had the benefit of The Queen’s wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade. My wife has had 20 years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives.

‘She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life. I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.

‘I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all.

‘My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen. I will honour her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can.’

In Balmoral, dressed smartly in a suit, white shirt and black tie, the Duke of York – who was exiled from public life after his car-crash Newsnight interview about his friendship with billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – said: ‘We’ve been allowed one day, now we start the process of handing her on.’

Cameras also captured the moment that the Duke of York wrapped his arms around his family including his brother and sister-in-law Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex shortly after getting out of a cavalcade of Range Rovers – before waving to a crowd of mourners at the Aberdeenshire estate who applauded the senior royals.

Three of the Queen’s four children – the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and Earl of Wessex – joined the Countess of Wessex, Anne’s husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and the Queen’s grandchildren Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and Lady Louise Windsor for a walkabout after attending a prayer service at Crathie Kirk.

The family spent just under 10 minutes intently reading the tributes and admiring the flowers before they returned inside Balmoral Castle.

Edward, accompanied by his wife who was holding hands with their daughter Lady Louise, thanked well-wishers lining the route back to Balmoral Castle. Hearing one group had come from Glasgow to show their support, he said: ‘Thank you very much for coming all that way, we appreciate it.’

People are still leaving flowers and other tributes at both Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh – where one visitor left a copy of Michael Bond’s book Paddington At The Rainbow’s End. A note written on it said simply: ‘One last story Ma’am. X’ – a reference to Her Majesty’s skit with the beloved children’s character for the Platinum Jubilee.

With many heading for Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, where the Queen died on Thursday, the authorities there urged people not to drive to the castle.

Aberdeenshire Council issued a reminder that there is ‘no vehicle access to Balmoral for leaving floral tributes’, saying people should instead use park and ride services from the nearby villages of Ballater and Braemar.

‘Please note services are expected to be very busy, so please allow plenty of time for your journey,’ the statement added.

Meanwhile in Edinburgh, outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a table was set up where two security guards were cutting the plastic off bunches of flowers so that people can lay them on the ground. Stewards and police officers told the PA news agency the plastic is being removed for environmental reasons and to make it easier to replant the flowers later on.

Families with young children waited patiently to pay their respects to the beloved monarch. Among them was Euan Masson, his wife Emma and their children Ethan, 10 and Ellie, nine. 

Mr Masson, 38, from nearby Inverurie, said: ‘We’ve come to pay our respects to a wonderful woman and thank her for her 76 years of service.’

Nicola Williams, 41, drove north from Fife with her husband Jeff, 43, and their daughters Emily, six, and Holly, four.

She said: ‘The Queen has been a constant in all our lives for such a long time. So we’ve come here to pay our respects to someone who was always there for us. She was a great example to all women. And so I want my daughters to be able to remember her by coming here today.’

William Bottomley, his wife Karen and his mother Philippa brought his three young children to Balmoral. Grandmother Philippa said: ‘We have come to pay our respects to a wonderful woman. It is something we had to do.’

Jackie McIntosh, 69, travelled from Aberdeen with partner John Coutts, 49, and sister Aileen Mitchell, 66, to pay their respects to the Queen at Balmoral. As the senior royals walked along greeting the crowds, Andrew asked her: ‘Where have you come from? How long have you been waiting?’

Airport worker Jackie said: ‘It is very sad to see them, they are a family at the end of the day. Prince Andrew asked how long we had waited, it was great to see them all together.’

Partner John added: ‘It’s only been a couple of days since they lost their mother, like the rest of us they are human, no one expected this. It was decent of them to speak with us.’

It comes as King Charles III smiled through his tears and waved at the crowd of well-wishers gathered outside the gates of Buckingham Palace after his proclamation – as mourners continue to leave floral tributes in memory of his beloved ‘mama’ Queen Elizabeth II after her death.

Well-wishers waited hours for a glimpse of the monarch, who automatically became King on the death of his mother the Queen on Thursday but was formally proclaimed by the Accession Council at St James’s Palace yesterday, as he was driven to Buckingham Palace in his state Rolls-Royce.

His wife Camilla, Queen Consort arrived at the palace after her husband around 90 minutes later, smiling and waving at the crowd.

It was initially believed that the King and Queen Consort would go on a walkabout to inspect the tributes and greet mourners at 12.15pm. However, Charles III had not left the Palace by 1pm, and this afternoon he will hold a series of audiences with Prime Minister Liz Truss, her senior Cabinet ministers, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, and Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Westminster.

At 10am yesterday morning, the Accession Council – an ancient body of advisers that dates back as far as the time of the Norman Conquest – formally announced his role as Sovereign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including Supreme Head of the Church of England and Commander-in-Chief of Britain’s Armed Forces, as well as Head of State of Commonwealth countries and British territories around the world.

Broadcast cameras were allowed into the historic event giving the world a first glimpse of a ceremony dating back centuries – and one of the first changes to convention instigated by the new King. 

At 11am, trumpets then sounded from the balcony of St James’s Palace as the Principal Proclamation announcing the King was read out. Crowds gathered outside the palace as the King was officially proclaimed. Gun salutes at Hyde Park, the Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle, Hillsborough Castle and Cardiff Castle were then fired before the National Anthem was performed by The Band of the Coldstream Guards alongside eight State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry. They were accompanied by the St James’s Palace Detachment of The King’s Guard made up of Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards. 

The crowd of well-wishers joined the King’s Guard gathered outside the palace in three cries of ‘hip hip hooray’ for the King.

At St James’s shortly after 10.20am, Charles III made a personal declaration on the death of his beloved mother Queen Elizabeth II and vowed to uphold ‘constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands, and of the Commonwealth realms and territories throughout the world’.  

Paying tribute to the Queen at the throne room of St James’s before the assembled Accession Council shortly after 10.20am, the King also approved an order that the day of the Queen’s funeral will be a bank holiday.

Making his declaration, Charles III said: ‘My lords, ladies and gentlemen, it is my most sorrowful duty to announce to you the death of my beloved mother the Queen. I know how deeply you, the entire nation, and I think I may say the whole world, sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we’ve all suffered.

‘It is the greatest consolation to me to know the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers. And that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss.’

Continuing the declaration, the King said: ‘In taking up these responsibilities, I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands, and of the Commonwealth realms and territories throughout the world.

‘In this purpose, I know that I shall be upheld by the affection and loyalty of the peoples whose Sovereign I have been called upon to be, and that in the discharge of these duties I will be guided by the counsel of their elected parliaments.

‘In all this, I am profoundly encouraged by the constant support of my beloved wife. I take this opportunity to confirm my willingness and intention to continue the tradition of surrendering the hereditary revenues, including the Crown Estate, to my Government for the benefit of all, in return for the Sovereign Grant, which supports my official duties as Head of State and Head of Nation.

‘And in carrying out the heavy task that has been laid upon me, and to which I now dedicate what remains to me of my life, I pray for the guidance and help of Almighty God.’

After his personal declaration about the death of his mother the King took the oath to preserve the Church of Scotland – because in Scotland there is a division of powers between the church and state. 

This oath is taken at the point of accession to the Crown, with Charles saying he was ‘ready to do so at this first opportunity’.

Buckingham Palace confirmed he had declared: ‘I, Charles III, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of my other realms and territories, King, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I shall inviolably maintain and preserve the settlement of the true protestant religion as established by the laws made in Scotland in prosecution of the Claim of Right, and particularly by an Act intituled ‘An Act for securing the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government’ and by the Acts passed in the Parliament of both Kingdoms for Union of the two Kingdoms, together with the Government, Worship, Discipline, Rights and Privileges of the Church of Scotland.’

Prime Minister Liz Truss joined Camilla, Queen Consort, William, Prince of Wales and 250 other dignitaries including the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the Prime Minister, the Lord Privy Seal, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Earl Marshal and the Lord President to sign the proclamation at 10am.

Former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major, Labour former Cabinet minister Harriet Harman, the Mother of the House, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the high commissioners of the 14 Commonwealth countries where Charles III is Head of State, are also on the body of the Accession Council.

During the event the Lord President – Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt – announced the death of the sovereign and called upon the Clerk of the Council to read aloud the text of the Accession Proclamation before the body signed the document. It includes Charles’s chosen title as King, already known to be King Charles III.

Union flags were flown at full-mast from the time of the Principal Proclamation at St James’s Palace until one hour after the Proclamations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, after which flags returned to half-mast in mourning for the death of the late Queen.

The ceremony is being staged a day later for King Charles III then normal practice because the announcement of the Queen’s death did not come until early evening on Thursday, meaning there was not enough time to set the plans in motion for Friday morning.

Opening proceedings at the Accession Council, the Lord President said: ‘My lords, it is my sad duty to inform you that Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has passed away on Thursday the 8th of September 2022, at Balmoral Castle. I propose that, when certain necessary business has been transacted, a deputation consisting of Her Majesty, His Royal Highness, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of York, the Prime Minister, the clerk of the Council, and myself, shall wait on the King and inform him the Council is assembled.’

Reading the text of the proclamation, the clerk of the council said: ‘Whereas it has pleased almighty God to call to his mercy our late Sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth II 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 III, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom 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.’

He declared to the room ‘God Save the King’ and the packed room repeated the famous phrase.

The historic event comes after Charles gave a landmark address to the nation on Friday and paid a poignant and moving tribute to his ‘darling Mama’ the Queen.

The King pledged his whole life as service as the new sovereign just as the Queen did, saying: ‘That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today’. 

And he used his speech to announce that he had created his son William the Prince of Wales, with Kate the Princess of Wales, and expressed his ‘love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas’, a symbol of his bid for reconciliation amid past troubles with the Sussexes.

He also paid tribute to his ‘darling wife’ Camilla, calling her ‘my Queen Consort’, saying he can ‘count on her loving help’ and praising her by saying: ‘I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much.’

The King also set out his changing role, as he steps away from his considerable charity work which shaped his life as the heir to the throne.

The Palace said: ‘His Majesty The King will be proclaimed at the Accession Council at 10.00hrs (on Saturday) in the State Apartments of St James’s Palace, London. The Accession Council, attended by Privy Councillors, is divided into two parts. In Part I, the Privy Council, without The King present, will proclaim the Sovereign, and formally approve various consequential Orders, including the arrangements for the Proclamation.

‘Part II, is the holding by The King of His Majesty’s first Privy Council. The King will make his Declaration and read and sign an oath to uphold the security of the Church in Scotland and approve Orders in Council which facilitate continuity of government.’

Mid-afternoon, members of Ms Truss’ Cabinet will have their first meeting with the King just days after the Prime Minister formed her new Government.

Senior ministers attending the Accession Council at St James’s will travel to Buckingham Palace for an audience with the monarch.

Ms Truss, who was invited to form a Government by the late Queen on Tuesday, had her initial audience with the King on Friday.

The Prime Minister curtsied as she was ushered in by a Palace aide for the first of what will be their regular weekly encounters. As she offered her condolences, the King shook her hand and thanked her, saying: ‘You are very kind for coming – I know how busy you are.’

He added: ‘But it’s been so touching this afternoon when we arrived here, all those people come to give their condolences.’

Ms Truss again repeated: ‘Your Majesty, my very greatest sympathies.’ He replied: ‘You are very kind. It was the moment I have been dreading, as I know a lot of people have. We’ll try to keep everything going. Come, come have a seat.’

Earlier, the Prime Minister had led tributes in the House of Commons to the Queen as she urged the country to support their new monarch.

Those tributes will continue during rare Saturday sittings of both the Commons and the House of Lords.

Proceedings in the lower chamber will begin at 1pm with a small number of senior MPs taking an oath of allegiance to the King, and are expect to continue to around 10pm.

By 8am on Saturday, thousands had gathered outside Buckingham Palace to pay their respects to the Queen.

Gun salutes rang out from stations including the Tower of London and Hyde Park both home and abroad on Saturday to mark the accession of the King. Sixty-two rounds were fired near Tower Bridge beside the River Thames by the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), and 41 rounds beside Park Lane by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery (RHA).

The HAC, in ceremonial dress, were seen driving in liveried Pinzgauer vehicles through the City of London past a thousands-strong crowd of watchers. They travelled with police escort to the Thames riverbank, where guns were positioned facing HMS Belfast.

At the Tower of London, a royal salute comprises the traditional 21 rounds, another 21 rounds signifies the loyalty of the City of London to the Crown, and a final 20 rounds were fired as the tower is a royal palace and fortress.

Shouts of ‘Long live the King’ were heard as spectators lined up across Tower Bridge and along the Causeway inside the tower to watch the display.

Salutes were also fired from Cardiff Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Gibraltar, Colchester, York, Larkhill near Stonehenge, naval bases in Devonport and Portsmouth and a number of stations at sea.

Reservists from 206 Battery 105 Regiment Royal Artillery fired the salute at Hillsborough Castle in Co Down watched by Steve Baker, minister of state for Northern Ireland.

The salutes were timed to coincide with the Principal Proclamation of the King, which was read by Garter King of Arms at 11am from the balcony above Friary Court, St James’ Palace.

Coldstream Guards and the King’s Guard will be present alongside eight state trumpeters of the Household Cavalry.

The RHA is a British Army mounted ceremonial unit that fires royal salutes on royal anniversaries and state occasions, such as state visits and royal birthdays. The HAC dates its origins back to 1537, making it the oldest regiment in the British Army. It took over the role of firing gun salutes from the Tower of London in 1924.

Gun salutes are customarily fired, both on land and at sea, as a sign of respect or welcome. They are now used to mark special occasions on certain days of the year, many of them with royal associations.

Gun salutes occur on royal anniversaries including Accession Day, the monarch’s birthday, Coronation Day, the monarch’s official birthday, the State Opening of Parliament, royal births and when a visiting head of state meets the monarch in London, Windsor or Edinburgh.

The Ministry of Defence said there are historical records of salutes taking place as early as the 14th century when guns and ammunition began to be adopted widely. Similar gun salutes were fired to mark the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and Winston Churchill in 1965.

Thousands of people have visited Windsor Castle on Saturday morning to pay their respects to the Queen.

Flowers continued to pile up outside the gates of the royal residence, with notes and letters attached thanking the late monarch for her service.

People of all ages were paying tribute and the local Rotary Club was giving children free flowers to lay down.

Louise, 63, and Andrew Falconer, 62, travelled from Watford to pay their respects.

Mrs Falconer said: ‘You realise it has actually happened when you see all this.’

Mr Falconer added: ‘Initially I was shocked with how sudden it was. She was on her feet and two days later, she’s gone.’

They both believe that Charles will be a different monarch from his mother.

Mr Falconer said: ‘He’ll have different attitudes, different ideas.’

His wife added: ‘I think he’ll be a bit more modern. He might have to watch what he says sometimes. It’ll be interesting. We’re a modern society.’

Nicholas Ewings, 54, from Farnborough, Hampshire, visited Windsor with his family.

He said: ‘We just wanted to come down, pay our respects and be part of the moment. We care and miss her forever.’

His son Ethan, 19, said: ‘I’ve only ever had one queen and now it’s changing to a king. I was at work when I heard the news and I was upset.’

Mr Ewings was optimistic about Charles III’s reign: ‘I think we’ll hear from him more, which I think is a great thing. He’s a top chap. He’s our King and I stand behind him.’

Jenny Woolford, 60, from Wokingham, was impressed by the King’s first televised address on Friday night.

She said: ‘It was absolutely brilliant, very moving. I think he’ll carry on in his mum’s path as he’s been trained to, but I also think he’ll find his own way.

‘You can’t help but be impressed by him. He’ll be a good king.’

Mike Thompson, 69, from Staines, was born in Kenya just months before the Queen’s coronation and saw the monarch in person when she visited his school.

Mr Thompson said: ‘She visited Runnymede to plant a tree and we marched out from our school just to line up in the reception area.

‘A child in my class was waiting with some daffodils and the Queen stopped in front of the girl and took some flowers from her. It was quite a special moment for me.’

Andy Bow, 57, from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, went to Buckingham Palace on Saturday.

The armed forces veteran said: ‘I’m just completely bereft really. I served the Queen while I was in the Army for 14 years. She just means so much to me, she’s everything.

‘She’s the mother of our nation I think. I, along with the vast majority of everybody here, are a little bit lost and not sure what’s going to happen so I just felt I had to come down and pay my respects for the last time.’

Mina Parmar-shah, 34, from Harrow, north west London, brought flowers to lay outside the palace gates.

She said: ‘I’ve followed the royal family my whole life so when the Queen died it was quite upsetting really, so I needed to come down and pay my respects.

‘As a woman, she ruled for 70 years and that’s a huge thing to have, especially because when she became Queen it was more of a man’s world so that’s a huge part of what she represents to me.

‘I have always respected the Queen and had a love for the royal family.’