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(BBC)
“Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived,” King Charles III said, as he renewed his “darling Mama’s” promise of lifelong service.
In an emotional first address to the nation, he praised her warmth, humour and ability to see the best in people.
Prince William and Catherine will become Prince and Princess of Wales, he said, as he expressed his love for his son Prince Harry and wife Meghan.
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral in Scotland on Thursday aged 96.
The speech was broadcast as a service to remember the late Queen got under way at St Paul’s Cathedral.
In the address, the King, 73, said: “Her dedication and devotion as Sovereign never waivered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.”
He announced he had created his son William the Prince of Wales, with his wife Catherine the Princess of Wales.
And he expressed his “love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas”.
Speaking about his wife of 17 years, Camilla, 75, who becomes the Queen Consort, he said: “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.”
He acknowledged his life had now changed, saying: “It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply.
“But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.”
Heir to the throne Prince William will now take on the King’s former Scottish titles and responsibility for the Duchy of Cornwall.
Related: UK: King Charles to address nation as monarch for first time
“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 King said.
Looking ahead to the Queen’s funeral, the King expressed his hope that despite the sorrow felt around the nation and Commonwealth people would “remember and draw strength from the light of her example”.
He concluded: “And to my darling Mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa, I want simply to say this: thank you.
“Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years.
“May ‘flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest’.”
Earlier, in one of his first constitutional duties as monarch, the King held an in-person audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss at Buckingham Palace.
He told Ms Truss, who was appointed by his mother on Tuesday, that the Queen’s death was “the moment I’d been dreading, as I know a lot of people have, but we’ll try and keep everything going”.
Shortly before, the sun shone brightly as the new King emerged with Camilla from the state limousine outside the Palace to shake hands with people who had gathered there.
With cheers and spontaneous shouts of “God save the King”, the crowd swelled against barriers assembled across the entire length of the palace forecourt.
At Westminster on Friday, MPs and Lords were paying tribute to the Queen, with Ms Truss describing her as “one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known”.
It followed gun salutes and church bell tributes across the country following the Queen’s death.
The palace has released further details of what will happen over the coming days.
The date of the Queen’s funeral is yet to be revealed, but it is expected to be in the next two weeks.
Before that, her coffin will lie at rest in Edinburgh for 24 hours and will then move to London to lie in state.
While it is lying in state in Westminster Hall, members of the public will be allowed to file past and pay their respects.
There will be no physical book of condolences for members of the public to sign, but the palace has opened an online one.
King Charles earlier declared a period of mourning across the Royal Family and Household to be observed until seven days after his mother is laid to rest at Windsor.
The Accession Council on Saturday will be attended by the King’s son, Prince William, the new Prince of Wales.
It is also attended by invited Privy Councillors and current serving government ministers – but that could also include former ministers, prime ministers, and senior clergy.
After the meeting, the Principal Proclamation, announcing Charles as sovereign, will be read at 11:00 BST from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James’s Palace, central London.
