In the midst of very heavy rain, the Accession Proclamation ceremony went ahead with a reading at Hillsborough Castle in County Down - one of the three senior officers of arms at the College of Arms in London, the heraldic authority for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of the Commonwealth - at the same time as ceremonies in Edinburgh and Cardiff.

 

The reading of the Principal Proclamation of the new King, Charles III, took place at St James's Palace in the City of London on Saturday. A gun salute at Hillsborough Castle marked , before, yesterday, the Accession Proclamation was read at 12:00 BST by the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms Robert Noel in front of an audience of dignitaries and members of the public.

Charles became King following the death of his mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on Thursday and an historic meeting at St James's Palace formally confirmed his role on Saturday. As part of a UK tour, the King and Camilla will arrive in Belfast on Tuesday before travelling to Hillsborough Castle.

The Queen first visited Northern Ireland just after the end of World War Two in 1945, when she was Princess Elizabeth. Scott Carson, the Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, said: “The people of Hillsborough are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the King.

"I think there is a great sense of anticipation and positivity already in the air," he said.

"The Royal family, and especially King Charles, have fond memories of Royal Hillsborough and Hillsborough Castle and he has enjoyed spending time here and I look forward to seeing him visit shortly and I know the people within Royal Hillsborough and the whole borough and across Northern Ireland are also eagerly awaiting that as well."

"Queen Elizabeth's was a life well lived," King Charles III said, as he renewed her promise of lifelong service.

"Her dedication and devotion as Sovereign, he went on, “never wavered - through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss."

This, before making his son William the Prince of Wales, with his wife Catherine the Princess of Wales - the title last used by William's mother Diana and expressing his love for younger son, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas".

On the Queen's funeral, King Charles expressed: Despite the sorrow felt around the nation and Commonwealth, people would remember and draw strength from the light of her example".

He went on: "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'."

The Queen's funeral will be held on Monday 19 September at Westminster Abbey in London. During the Accession Council, the King approved the day of the Queen's funeral becoming a bank holiday.