King Charles III addresses a nation in mourning

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.

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."

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.

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.”

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.

Back in 1977, when he was the snarling lead singer of the Sex Pistols, John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) belted out a punk rock takedown of Queen Elizabeth II and the monarchy that began, “God save the Queen/ She ain’t no human being.”

But a day after Elizabeth’s death, Lydon paid his respects on Twitter to a monarch he dismissed as a “figurehead” in the Pistols’ version of “God Save the Queen.”

“Rest in Peace Queen Elizabeth II,” Lydon posted Friday on his official account. “Send her victorious.”

Lydon, in a 2017 interview, insisted his song wasn’t a personal attack on Her Majesty. 

“That’s about a political situation and the demand for obedience to a monarchy I don’t believe in,” he said. “But that’s a human being and I would sorely miss her as a human being on planet Earth.” 

LONDON — Her name, initials and image are woven into the fabric of daily British life — on money, stamps and even cereal boxes.

But after Queen Elizabeth II’s death Thursday, her portrait, insignia or initials which have formed the backdrop of daily life in the United Kingdom for the last seven decades will be phased out and replaced by those of her oldest son, King Charles III.

Those changes will likely be disconcerting for some, even if they had never met the queen in person, said Michala Hulme, a history professor at the University of Birmingham.

“Her death takes away that constant, reassuring notion that she’s always there,” she said in an interview before the queen’s death. 

Read the full story here.

LONDON — As a female monarch and head of state, for 70 years Queen Elizabeth II braved a world dominated by men. From her extremely rarified perch, she encouraged high-profile women in public service, according to a few who crossed her path.

Paying tribute to the monarch in Britain’s Parliament, former Prime Minister Theresa May said the queen was “quite simply the most remarkable person I have ever met.”

Recalling their regular encounters — prime ministers met the queen weekly for private audiences — May said Friday that they “were not meetings with a high and mighty monarch, but a conversation with a woman of experience and knowledge and immense wisdom.”

“What made those audiences so special was the understanding the queen had of issues,” she added. 

Read the full story here.

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, will become Prince and Princess of Wales, King Charles said in his inaugural address to the nation.

“Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty,” the new monarch said.

“With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given,” he added.

He said he also wanted to “express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”

Britain’s new monarch paid tribute to his mother in his inaugural address to the nation as king, describing her as “an inspiration and example to me and to all my family” and thanking her “for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.”

“Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived, a promise with destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today,” King Charles III said.

“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 said, adding that “the affection, admiration and respect she inspired became the hallmark of her reign.”

Thanking the queen for her “love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years,” he signed off by saying: “May ‘flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.’”

Shamrock Rovers apologized Friday for fans of the famed Irish soccer team who celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's death with offensive chants hours after she died.

"Shamrock Rovers F.C. has been made aware of chants by a group of individuals at last night’s game," the club said in a statement. "Such highly insensitive and callous chanting is not acceptable at our club and is against the values that Shamrock Rovers F.C. stands for."

The mocking chants at Tallaght Stadium came during the club's match against Swedish side Djurgårdens. The Europa Conference League contest ended 0-0.

As the death Thursday of Queen Elizabeth II prompted an outpouring of grief from millions across the world, it also revived criticism of her legacy, highlighting the complicated feelings of those who saw her as a symbol of the British colonial empire — an institution that enriched itself through violence, theft and oppression.

“If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star,” Uju Anya, an associate professor of second language acquisition at Carnegie Mellon University, tweeted Thursday afternoon.

While Elizabeth ruled as Britain navigated a post-colonial era, she still bore a connection to its colonial past, which was rooted in racism and violence against Asian and African colonies. There have been growing calls in recent years for the monarchy to confront its colonial past.

Read the full story here.

After Queen Elizabeth II is buried, her late husband of 73 years will be transferred from the spot where he has been temporarily interred for nearly a year and a half so he can be laid to rest by her side.

When Prince Philip died in April 2021 at age 99, his coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault beneath St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The vault was created in the early 1800s for George III, who is one of several kings buried there, among other royals, according to the Telegraph.

Philip's final resting place was always meant to be next to his bride. The queen will be buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor and the Duke of Edinburgh will be transferred to be alongside her.

Also inside the chapel are the remains of the queen’s father and the chapel's namesake, George VI; her mother; and her sister, Princess Margaret, the Telegraph reported.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom offered her condolences to the royal family, honoring Queen Elizabeth II's dedication to public service.

“There has been no greater steward of the alliance of friendship and cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom than Queen Elizabeth,” Ambassador Jane Hartley said in a statement.

"We grieve with the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth," she said, adding that the U.S. will honor Elizabeth's memory through its continued partnership with the U.K. and a "renewed commitment to our most Special Relationship."

Chinese President Xi Jinping has released a statement extending his “sincere sympathy” to the "British royal family, government and people,” following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

“I attach great importance to the development of China-UK relations and stand ready to work with King Charles III,” he added, noting that Elizabeth was the first British monarch to visit China.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also sent a note of condolence to British Prime Minister Liz Truss, expressing his condolences to both the royal family and the U.K. government.

Crowds of people gathered at Buckingham Palace on Friday to catch a glimpse of the new king — and some even managed to meet him.

Julie Masters, 57, from Sussex in southern England, says she was the first person to shake the hand of the new king. She had been waiting with hundreds of others, pressed up against the police barriers.

“It’s not really sunken in,” she said.

Margaret Walker, from Wokingham, 40 miles west of London, is 95 years old, just one year younger than the queen. She said: “Charles and Camilla shook my hand and I shan’t wash them again!”

Read more about the scene at the palace here.

King Charles III's inaugural address to the nation will be broadcast at 6 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET) Friday, according to Buckingham Palace.

The message was prerecorded in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace earlier Friday afternoon. 

An official photograph of the king was taken during the recording, Buckingham Palace added. The photo will be shared after the address.

While Charles technically became king the moment his mother died, he will not be formally proclaimed the new monarch until a historic ceremony that will take place Saturday morning.

Gun salutes took place at 1 p.m. (8 a.m. ET) across the U.K. in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. One round was fired for each of the 96 years of her life.

The gun salutes took place in London's Hyde Park, at the Tower of London and on Royal Navy ships at sea, according to the Ministry of Defense.

All flags at the NATO headquarters building in Brussels have been lowered to half-staff to commemorate the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Over more than 70 years, she exemplified selfless leadership and public service,” the organization's secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said in a tweet, adding that he was sending his “deepest condolences” to NATO allies Britain and Canada, and the rest of the Commonwealth.

The United Kingdom was a founding member of NATO at its inception in 1949. The queen was crowned three years later.

Jane Hartley, the American ambassador to the U.K., commended the queen's commitment to service during an interview with Savannah Guthrie on NBC's "TODAY" show.

“I think she contributed a sense of dignity, a sense of commitment, a commitment to democracy, freedom, humanitarian concerns,” Hartley said.

“I must say when I met her, I was so taken personally by not only how substantive she was, because she cared deeply about policy and she cared deeply about what was happening in the world, but her sense of warmth and her sense of caring just came through immediately.”

The new monarch, Charles III, arrived in West London on Friday afternoon. He faces a packed schedule of events to commemorate his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and he was accompanied by Camilla, the Queen Consort.

His plane touched down at RAF Northolt in West London just after 1:30 p.m. (8:30 a.m. ET) before he entered his official car to make the 30-minute journey to London.

LONDON — The Premier League has postponed its upcoming round of matches as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, adding to the cancellation of high-profile golf, cricket and horse racing events across Britain on Friday.

England’s top-flight soccer clubs held a meeting Friday and said they wanted to “pay tribute to Her Majesty’s long and unwavering service to our country.”

“This is a tremendously sad time for not just the nation but also for the millions of people around the world who admired her,” Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said, “and we join together with all those in mourning her passing.”

The English Football League — the three divisions below the Premier League — also called off their games scheduled for the weekend.

Read the full story here.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss led the tributes to Queen Elizabeth II as lawmakers gathered in the country’s Parliament to pay their respects.

“In the hours since last night’s shocking news, we have witnessed the most heartfelt outpouring of grief at the loss of Her late Majesty the Queen,” Truss said.

“Crowds have gathered, flags have been lowered to half-mast, tributes have been sent from every continent around the world,” she added.

Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, said that the queen’s “legacy would live on forever.” He added that Elizabeth “played a crucial role as the thread between the history we cherish and the present we own.”

Charles technically became king the moment Queen Elizabeth II died, but he will be formally pronounced the new monarch at 10 a.m. (5 a.m. ET) at an accession council at St. James's Palace on Saturday.

The accession council is attended by members of the Privy Council, who are advisers to the monarch on matters of the state. The ceremony is split into two parts: First, the council will proclaim Charles the king without his attendance, and, in a follow-up ceremony, he will join them and swear to uphold the church in Scotland and swear to continue the running of government.

At 11 a.m. (6 a.m. ET), the first public proclamation of the new monarch will be read from a balcony in St. James's Palace by the Garter King of Arms, in the presence of the earl marshal and the serjeant-at-arms, who are ceremonial officers of the crown and the Parliament. Following this first public proclamation, similar ceremonies will follow suit in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

During the proclamation of the new monarch, flags will temporarily fly at full-staff, although they will be returned to half-staff after the ceremony to reflect the period of national mourning.

Speaking to the House of Commons, Boris Johnson delivered what some called a moving tribute to the queen.

The Bank of England said Friday it would postpone a decision on whether to raise interest rates "in light of the period of national mourning."

The decision could have serious consequences given the scale of the United Kingdom's cost-of-living crisis.

The bank’s monetary policy committee was due to meet Thursday but will now meet Sept. 22 instead, it said.

The White House has confirmed to NBC News' Savannah Guthrie that President Joe Biden will attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

The queen will be laid to rest after 10 days of mourning, during which time the public can pay their respects. Leaders from around the world are expected to attend the state funeral.

For the first time in 70 years, Britain awoke Friday without its queen. And as the country entered a lengthy period of national mourning after her death, it stepped into this uncertain new era already troubled by economic crisis and its latest bout of political upheaval.

Crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace to lay flowers and to witness history as a well-rehearsed plan for how the nation will bid farewell to one monarch and welcome another swung into action. With typical order and correctness, Buckingham Palace issued advice Friday morning on exactly where the public can leave floral tributes.

King Charles III, the longest-serving heir to the throne, is finally assuming his birthright at the age of 73. He will lead the country in a run of royal events based on traditions stretching back centuries.

Charles was returning to London on Friday from Balmoral, the Scottish castle where the family rushed to be by the queen’s side in her final moments. He will address the nation later for the first time as king.

Read more here.

King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, left Balmoral Castle and boarded a plane in Aberdeen, Scotland. They are making their way to London.

The new monarch will meet with Prime Minister Liz Truss before he makes his first televised address as king.

At 12 p.m. (7 a.m. ET), church bells tolled at Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral and Windsor Castle, with churches across the country following suit.

Bells will continue to ring for one hour to mark the death of the queen, following guidance from the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.

The death of the sovereign is a rare occasion when fully muffled bells are sounded — a technique to create an echo by fitting pads to both sides of the bell clapper.

Postage stamps that bear the image of Queen Elizabeth II will remain valid for use, the British mail service, Royal Mail, said Thursday.

“These include definitive stamps — regular ‘everyday’ stamps — and special stamps,” it said in a statement.

Since 1967, all postage stamps produced by the Royal Mail have featured an embossed silhouette of the side profile of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Royal Mail said new stamps bearing the image of King Charles III will be designed in consultation with Buckingham Palace.

Members of the public will be able to attend a memorial service for the queen in the historic St. Paul’s Cathedral in central London on Thursday.

A total of 2,000 seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis for the service of prayer and reflection. Attendees have been encouraged to arrive up to three hours early to clear security for the event.

Britain's new prime minister, Liz Truss, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and other lawmakers will also attend.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he was “deeply saddened” by the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

“The government of Japan expresses its heartfelt condolences to the British royal family, the British government and the British people,” Kishida said, addressing reporters Friday, according to Reuters.

“Japan-United Kingdom bilateral ties have developed through the support of traditional friendly relations between the Imperial Family and the British Royal Family,” he said.

“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II contributed significantly to the strengthening of Japan-United Kingdom relations in particular, including Her Majesty’s visit to Japan in 1975,” he said.

Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, said Friday that Queen Elizabeth II was a symbol of historic traditions for the whole of Europe.

In a statement on the website of the church, Kirill, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that the queen was “an example of the highest culture.”

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on Friday, calling the monarch “an example of wisdom, love and peace.”

“The world remembers today the great impact and deeds that she had throughout her reign,” Saudi Arabia's de facto leader said in a statement shared by the Saudi state media.

Bin Salman's father, King Salman, also paid tribute in a separate statement, remembering Elizabeth as “a model of leadership that will be immortalized in the history.”

“We recall with appreciation the efforts of the deceased in consolidating the friendship and cooperation relations between our two friendly countries, as well as the high international status that Her Majesty enjoyed throughout the decades during which she acceded to the throne of your friendly country," he said.

As King Charles III grieves the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, he will also be expected to fulfill a number of royal duties on his first full day as king.

On Friday, Charles and his wife, Camilla, are expected to depart Aberdeen and make their way to London, where the king is expected to meet with British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who took office just days ago on Tuesday.

Charles is also expected to issue a prerecorded address to the nation on his first full day as king.

Arrangements following the queen’s death have long been planned under the code name London Bridge.

A period of royal mourning will be observed from now until seven days after Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

The date of the funeral has yet to be announced, but will be confirmed “in due course,” it said, adding that the period of royal mourning will be observed by members of the royal family, royal household staff and representatives of the royal household on official duties, along with troops committed to ceremonial duties.

Royal residences are also expected to be closed until after the queen’s funeral, including the Queen’s Gallery and the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, along with the Queen’s Gallery in Edinburgh, the statement said.

Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House, the queen’s private estates, will also be closed during the mourning period, in addition to Hillsborough Castle in Northern Island, it added.

Church bells are expected to toll across England on Friday to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the country’s longest-reigning monarch, who died Thursday at age 96.

The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers is recommending that bells be tolled for one hour starting at noon local time (7 a.m. ET), the Church of England said.

“The death of the Sovereign is one of the rare occasions when fully muffled bells are sounded — a technique to create an echo by fitting pads to both sides of the bell clapper,” the Church of England said in a statement.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he and the American people are extending their deepest sympathies to King Charles III, the royal family and the United Kingdom following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

“For more than 70 years — a period during which the United Kingdom and the world witnessed unprecedented change — Queen Elizabeth personified a sense of stability. During a time of tremendous division, she was a source of unity,” Blinken said.

Blinken added in a statement that the queen “was the embodiment of the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.”

“We join people around the world in mourning her passing, and we will forever be inspired by the memory of her service, leadership, and friendship,” he said.