Following the deeply sad news that Queen Elizabeth II has passed away at the age of 96, surrounded by her closest loved ones at her Balmoral estate in Scotland, her eldest son, Charles, has shared his first statement as King.
Having now inherited the throne from his "beloved" mother, Charles (who did not sign the new statement off as 'King Charles III' but who will be known by that the moniker throughout his reign) said his family will find comfort in knowing how very loved Her Majesty was – and by so many.
The plan for him and new Queen Consort, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, is to remain at Balmoral overnight (along with his siblings Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew, and his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry) and travel back to London tomorrow.
"The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family. We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world."
His statement continues on to read: "During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held."
Earlier today, King Charles' social channels also announced the news of The Queen's death with a black and white image of Her Majesty and the words: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."
Our thoughts are with all of the Royal Family at this very sad time.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
