Piece by: BBC

10 September 2022

• The King was not present, but he attended the second part of the ceremony to hold his first meeting of the Privy Council, the group of senior politicians who advise the monarch.

• Making his declaration, the King said it was his "most sorrowful duty" to announce the death of his mother.

Charles III has been proclaimed as king at a ceremony at St James's Palace. Charles became king immediately, following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, but a historic meeting formally confirmed his role on Saturday.

The Accession Council made up of senior politicians, judges and officials, proclaimed him as the monarch in the State Apartments.

It is the first time the historic ceremony has been televised.

The King was not present, but he attended the second part of the ceremony to hold his first meeting of the Privy Council, the group of senior politicians who advise the monarch.

Clerk of the Privy Council Richard Tilbrook proclaimed Charles "King, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith", before declaring "God Save the King".

The packed room, including the Queen Consort, the Prince of Wales and Prime Minister Liz Truss, repeated back the phrase.

Making his declaration, the King said it was his "most sorrowful duty" to announce the death of his mother.

"I know how deeply you, the entire nation, and I think I may say the whole world, sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we've all suffered,” he said.

“It is the greatest consolation to me to know the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers.”

The ceremony was attended by 200 members of the Privy Council. They included former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and John Major.

King Charles III decided to allow television cameras into the Accession Council for the first time to allow the public to view proceedings.