Prince William: 'The world lost an extraordinary leader'
Prince William said in a statement Saturday that “the world lost an extraordinary leader,” following the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
“So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign,” the Prince of Wales said.
“She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life,” he continued. “I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.
“My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen. I will honour her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can."
Queen's family view floral tributes
Family members, including three of Queen Elizabeth II's children, have been admiring messages of support from the public, at Balmoral.
Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward came to the gates of the Scottish castle where their mother died Thursday and viewed flowers and messages left by well-wishers.
Some of them seemed to become emotional as they read the messages from the public.
Prince Andrew thanked people for visiting. “We’ve been allowed one day, now we start the process of handing her on,” he said.
Queen asked to play the Beatles at state dinner, former French president says
Queen Elizabeth II once asked an orchestra to play the Beatles at a state dinner in 2014 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings on five beaches in Normandy in June 1944, former French President François Hollande said Saturday.
“She talked about being a friend of France and her taste for French culture and generally for the arts,” Hollande told Reuters.
“At one point, the Republican Guard was playing some classical music and I asked her what she would like and she said: 'Can they play the Beatles?' So the orchestra played several songs by the Beatles,” Hollande said, referring to the military unit that provides guards of honor at official ceremonies.
A new king proclaimed at the Royal Exchange
How movies, television helped define Queen Elizabeth II in the public consciousness
LONDON — In the 21st century, anyone with a smartphone or an internet connection does not lack for information about celebrities. The era of TikTok and TMZ has broken down barriers, making public figures feel nearer to us, reduced to human scale.
The late Queen Elizabeth II was a notable exception.
In her decades on the throne, cultural mores evolved dramatically, but Her Majesty remained much the same despite being one of the most famous people in the world. She was reserved, withdrawn, poker-faced and, to most, fundamentally unknowable.
That never stopped screenwriters, filmmakers and other creative personalities from attempting to get inside the queen’s head. In doing so, many viewers thought they understood a woman who revealed so little of her inner life to us.
Read more here.
Pomp, circumstance and lots of gold braiding
LONDON — King Charles III’s already undisputed claim to the British throne got the royal rubber stamp Saturday when what’s known as the Accession Council formally proclaimed the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II the new monarch.
There was pomp and pageantry and tradition — and zero suspense — because Charles became king when Elizabeth died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Charles’ accession to the throne was a modern version of the Anglo-Saxon Witan, a two-part gathering of notables that predates the Middle Ages that was called after a sovereign died.
But this was the first time this ancient ceremony was televised, and millions around the world watched as Charles, 73, swore to uphold the constitution, protect the Church of Scotland, and signed the proclamation that made him king.
Read more here.