During His Majesty's first official address to the nation in his role as King Charles III, Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son took the opportunity to thank his "dear mama" for her lifetime of service not only to the general public, but to their family too. His Majesty also spoke of the importance of togetherness and familial bonds as a whole, also taking the time to "send love" to his youngest son, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, who stepped down from their roles as senior working members of the Royal Family in 2020.
King Charles also made it clear how important his wife of seventeen years, Camilla, Queen Consort, is to him – and how very meaningful her support will continue to be during this moment of transition.
"I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla," His Majesty began. "In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage seventeen years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort. I know she will bring to the demands of her new role, the steadfast duty on which I have come to rely so much."
During the speech, it was also confirmed that Catherine, Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, will be gifted the title Princess of Wales (a title not used since the death of Princess Diana) alongside Prince William's new moniker of Prince of Wales. "As my heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which has meant so much to me. He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall [...] Today I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty."
King Charles added, "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 centre ground, where vital help can be given."
The monarch's youngest son, Prince Harry, was also referenced in his debut address, with King Charles saying: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan, as they continue to build their lives overseas."
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King Charles also spoke about his mother's dedication and said he owes Her Majesty the most "heartfelt debt" for her love, teachings and support throughout his 73 years. "Let us draw strength from the light of her example [...] To my darling mama, as you begin your last great journey, I must simply say this 'Thank you, for your love and devotion to our family, and our family of nations'. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."
Our thoughts are with all of those mourning the Queen at this 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.
