As it happened: King Charles III makes historic first speech, names William the Prince of Wales; Anthony Albanese phones British PM Liz Truss

The official proclamation of King Charles III is scheduled to start at 7pm AEST. It is the first proclamation in history that will be live-streamed.

Thank you for joining us and following along for the proclamation of King Charles III.

The livestream will continue for the proclamation of the King at the Royal Exchange, but our live coverage finishes here.

In the coming days, Australia will hold its own ceremonies to celebrate the proclamation of the King and commemorate the life of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

We will be covering these events, and bringing you all the latest news regarding the Queen’s funeral, including on the ground reporting from London.

Enjoy the rest of your night.

London: King Charles III has paid a heartfelt tribute to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, vowing to serve his subjects with “loyalty, respect and love” as she had done for her 70 years on the throne.

King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort during the Accession Council at St James’s Palace.Credit: POOL PA

In a historic first address to the nation on television, Charles thanked the Queen for her devotion to her family and to the 2.5 billion people – out of 7.9 billion globally – who live in the Commonwealth’s 56 countries.

Britain’s longest-reigning monarch died on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, aged 96, triggering an outpouring of emotion throughout Britain and around the world.

Charles was officially proclaimed as Britain’s new monarch on Saturday at a ceremony in St James’s Palace in front of former prime ministers, bishops and a host of politicians. While he succeeded his mother immediately on Thursday an Accession Council met to proclaim his succession, with his son and heir William, wife Camilla and Britain’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, among those to sign the proclamation.

Read the full summary of the proclamation here.

King Charles III has signed two proclamations and the council has now been concluded. The two proclamations are below.

Drafts of two Proclamations:

1: Appointing the day of Her Late Majesty’s State Funeral as a Bank Holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

2: Appointing the day of Her Late Majesty’s State Funeral as a Bank Holiday in Scotland.

And, of two orders in council directing the Lord Chancellor to affix the Great Seal to the Proclamations.

As is tradition, King Charles III has made his declaration and given his oath that he will uphold the security of the Church of Scotland and approve Orders in Council which facilitate continuity of government.

King Charles III before the privy council at his formal proclamation on Saturday.Credit: POOL PA

Here is what he said:

I, Charles III, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of my other realms and territories, King, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I should environmentally maintain and preserve the settlement of the true Protestant religion. As established by the laws made in Scotland and prosecution of the claim of right and particularly by an act for securing the Protestant religion and Presbyterian church government and by the acts passed in the parliament of both kingdoms for union of the two kingdoms, together with the government, worship,discipline, rights and privileges, of the Church of Scotland. So help me God.

King Charles III has made his declaration. Here is how he started:

My Lords, ladies and gentlemen, it is my most sorrowful duty to announce to you the death of my beloved mother, the Queen.

I know how deeply you and the entire nation and I think I may say the whole world sympathise with me into the irreparable loss we have all suffered.

It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers and that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss.

To all of us as a family, as to this kingdom, and the wider family of nations of which it is a part, my mother gave an example of lifelong love and of selfless service. My mother’s reign was unequalled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion.

The proclamation appointing King Charles III as the new King has now been signed and drafts of the eight orders of council have been read aloud. These were read out by Lord President of the Council, Penny Mordaunt, and were as follows:

1. Ordering the proclamation to be printed and published in specialist supplements in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.
2. Directing the Lord Chancellor to affix the great seal to the proclamation proclaiming His Majesty King Charts III.
3. Directing the King’s heralds and pursuivant of arms to attend at the can Court of St James to proclaim His Majesty King Charles III.
4. Directing the Lord Mayor, the Court of Aldermen and Commons of London to attend at the Royal Exchange, to proclaim His Majesty King Charles III.
5. Directing His Majesty’s Secretary of State for Defence to give directions for the firing of guns at Hyde Park as soon as His Majesty is proclaimed.
6. Directing the Constable of His Majesty’s Tower of London to give directions for the firing of guns at the Tower of London as soon as His Majesty is proclaimed.
7. Directing His Majesty’s Secretary of State for Scotland to cause the proclamation for proclaiming, His Majesty, King Charles III, to be published in Scotland.
8. Directing the Clerk of the Council to issue circular letters for causing His Majesty King Charles III to be proclaimed,

Are hereby approved. That concludes the business for this part of the council. I now invite the deputation party to accompany me to wait on the King in Council Chamber.

The first part of the privy council meeting has now concluded, and they will now move into the second part of the proclamation ceremony where they await on the King in the Council Chamber.

The proclamation of King Charles III is underway, and guests at the front of the ceremony include former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Theresa May, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron.

From left, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, former Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Boris Johnson ahead of the Accession Council ceremony at St James’s Palace, London.Credit: POOL PA

The ceremony is being held at the historic St James’s Palace in London, and William, Prince of Wales, and the Queen Consort are in attendance.

As is tradition, the ceremony began with the official announcement of the passing of the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

My Lords, it is my sad duty to inform you that Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has passed away on Thursday 8 September 2022 at Balmoral Castle.

Members of the privy council have started to arrive at St James’s Palace for the proclamation of King Charles III.

There are about 670 that are invited to the proclamation, along with high commissioners from countries such as Australia where the King is the head of state, however the palace cannot fit that many people, which means they have had to be selective with who will actually be at the palace on Saturday.

Members of the public are not allowed inside the palace, but they are allowed to gather around the outside, and police have put road blocks and barriers in place for people wanting to catch a glance of the King arriving at the palace.

The official proclamation will start at 7pm AEST, starting with the formal approval of various consequential orders which the King will not be present for.

The first Australian ceremony of King Charles III’s reign will take place on Sunday morning, with Governor-General David Hurley to officially proclaim the new sovereign following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will lead a meeting of ministers, acting as the Executive Council, to formally recommend to the governor-general to issue the proclamation in Australia at a special meeting at Government House in Canberra.

Speaker Milton Dick, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor-General David Hurley arrive at the wreath laying ceremony.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Following the meeting at 11am, Hurley will go to Parliament House and officially proclaim King Charles III amid a 21-gun salute.

Hurley and Albanese are expected to fly to London on Thursday to attend the Queen’s funeral as Australia continues to observe a 14-day observance which includes the suspension of parliament.

Read the full story here.