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LONDON — King Charles III addressed the nation Friday as it mourned the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. He also met with the United Kingdom’s prime minister, Liz Truss, who is new to the job after being appointed earlier this week.
He was greeted by cheering crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace as he arrived from Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Some sang "God save the King."
In his speech, Charles paid homage to his "darling mama" and gave a nod to his own children, announcing that Prince William would take on his former title as the Prince of Wales and saying he wanted “to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”
As Britain begins a 10-day mourning period, the country and the world are paying tribute to the queen.
Here is what happened today:
- Parts of daily life in the U.K. hit a pause in tribute to the queen: Sporting matches were postponed, worker strikes were canceled and the Bank of England delayed a key meeting on interest rates.
- King Charles III arrived in London from Balmoral and delivered his inaugural address to the nation.
- Bells tolled around Britain and 96 gun salutes took place in London — one for each year of the queen’s long life.
London's Tower Bridge illuminated for Queen Elizabeth
Saturday will be a day of mourning and of ascension
On Saturday, Queen Elizabeth II's body will be moved to Holyrood, her residence in Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, as the solemn occasion will give way to the rites of ascension for King Charles III.
Under long-held custom, the king will say an oath and give a speech in London. Not customary: For the first time, the formality known as the Accession Council will be televised.
The king will be hailed by a 41-gun salute at Hyde Park fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, and by a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London by the Honourable Artillery Company.
A Garter King of Arms, a heraldic position in the royal household since 1484, will proclaim Charles the new king from a balcony of St. James’s Palace.
The royal band will then play the first verse of “God Save the King," and flags will be temporarily raised from half mast. At 73, King Charles III is the oldest person to assume the British throne.
The king was expected to arrive at Holyrood on Sunday.
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Soccer legend Pelé reminisces about queen’s visit to Brazil
Soccer legend Pelé on Friday paid tribute to to Queen Elizabeth II by recalling fond memories of her visit to Brazil in 1968.
He said she made a lasting impression when she came to see Brazil's love for the sport known in both nations as football. Her deeds and legacy, he said, "will last forever."
As the only player to win three World Cups, Pelé, 81, has been described as the "player of the century," and “the greatest” to play the sport.
On Friday, he described Elizabeth's visit as the scene of a lifetime.
"I have been a great admirer of Queen Elizabeth II since the first time I saw her in person, in 1968," he tweeted, "when she came to Brazil to witness our love for football and experienced the magic of a packed Maracanã."
Brazilian media accounts state the queen presented the winners' trophy to Pelé after São Paulo beat Rio de Janeiro 3-2 at the venue, said to have hosted 85,000.
Pelé included photos of the event, the queen smiling, and the greatest holding that trophy. He was reportedly introduced to her as "the world-famous player Pelé."
"Oh, I know," the queen is quoted as saying. "I already know him by name. And I feel very happy to greet him."
VP Harris offers condolences at British Embassy in Washington
Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff signed a condolence book for Queen Elizabeth II at the British Embassy in Washington on Friday night.
“From the beginning she was so sincere,” Harris said of the late queen. “She lived what it means to be strong and wise.”
Harris' signing comes after President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden offered condolences and signed the book Thursday.
As princess, Elizabeth served during World War II
Anecdotes of interactions, memories of the queen pour in
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, many social media users shared moments they met the queen or felt impacted by her legacy.
Martha Edwards of Canada posted a tribute on Twitter showing a photo of her father with the queen. Edwards said her father served as an equerry to the queen in 1959.
“For someone I’ve never met, she’s always felt like such a big and constant presence in my life,” she wrote in the Twitter post. “Mostly I remember him sharing how funny she was outside when of the public eye.”
Many have remarked on Elizabeth's wit and sense of humor.
Matthew O’Callaghan of England, whose Twitter bio describes him as the chair of Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, first met the queen as a student at Birmingham University, then more recently during a reception in Windsor Castle.
“I was presented to her and she made a little joke to Prince Philip at my expense,” O’Callaghan wrote in a Facebook post. “And then later came up to me to talk about Melton and of course, our pies. Rest in peace Elizabeth, Queen and Servant. A job well done, a life well led. We’ll miss you.”
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Motorsport dedicates weekend competition to queen
Formula 1, the world's premier motorsport competition, and associated auto racing events will dedicate the weekend to Queen Elizabeth II, the president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile said Friday.
FIA is the governing body for Formula 1 and other competitions, including the development league Formula 2 and Formula E, an electric vehicle competition.
"Motorsport events around the world this weekend will take place with a heavy heart in honor of her majesty," FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in a video statement.
The sport's commercial management is based in London, and most of its 10 teams, including Red Bull Racing, Mercedes, McLaren, and Alpine, are based in England.
"On behalf of the entire FIA community I extend my sincere condolences to the Royal Family and to the people of the United Kingdom and the commonwealth," Ben Sulayem said.
Formula 1 is in Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, which includes practice Friday and Saturday, qualifying Saturday, and the race Sunday. On Friday, teams gathered for a minute of silence in the queen's memory. Photos showed many drivers and team members wearing black armbands Friday.
Red Bull Racing has placed the queen's cypher, or monogram, on its cars. Aston Martin's cars include a black band in memory of her majesty.