King Charles III becomes King of Canada amid artillery salute

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OTTAWA — King Charles III was proclaimed Canada’s head of state on Saturday at a ceremony that included heraldic trumpeting, a 21-gun salute and a second of remembrance for his mom, Queen Elizabeth II.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived at Rideau Corridor at about 10 a.m. together with his youngest son Hadrien and laid flowers at a makeshift memorial for the Queen, who died Thursday.

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He and members of the federal cupboard and Privy Council met earlier than the ceremony as a part of the protocol wanted to formally proclaim the brand new sovereign.

The prime minister requested Gov. Gen. Mary Simon for permission to proceed, and after she stated sure each signed the order-in-council proclaiming the accession.

The solemn second unfolded on the similar desk utilized by Queen Elizabeth II throughout her first official go to to Canada in October 1957, and was adopted by a spherical of applause from these gathered within the Rideau Corridor ballroom.

Dr. Samy Khalid, the chief herald of Canada, led a procession exterior moments later. After a fanfare performed on heraldic trumpets, he learn the proclamation of the accession in each official languages.

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“We (the Governor Basic and the Privy Council) proclaim that His Royal Highness Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now by the loss of life of our late sovereign, Charles III, by the grace of God of the UK, Canada and his different realms and territories, King, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the religion to whom we acknowledge religion and allegiance,” stated Khalid.

“Lengthy stay the King,” he concluded, with these gathered repeating the phrase.

Members of the Royal Canadian Armed Forces fired an artillery salute as Khalid spoke. The weapons had been by accident set off sooner than deliberate and sounded all through the French portion of the proclamation — maybe an indication that, regardless of the advance planning for Saturday’s occasion, it has been seven many years since a royal accession ceremony was held in Canada.

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Khalid took the glitch in stride, calling it comprehensible and saying it was a momentous event nonetheless.

“After all there’s been lots of feelings, there was loads occurring behind these doorways for the previous few days,” he stated, motioning towards Rideau Corridor’s major entrance.

He acknowledged the ceremony and his garb — which included a royal blue tabard, a sleeveless garment worn by medieval peasants and clerics — are a callback to a a lot earlier time. Khalid famous the tabard was designed with Indigenous components along with Royal symbols.

“I hope that the individuals of Canada will see that we wished to mark this momentous event in a really symbolic manner,” he stated.

The Canadian flag was raised to mark the accession of the brand new sovereign, however was later lowered to half-mast as mourning for the queen continues.

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A lot of provinces, equivalent to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, held related accession ceremonies on Saturday.

In the meantime, the federal authorities is making ready a collection of occasions to commemorate the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.

Protocol requires 10 days of mourning following the Queen’s loss of life, and British officers introduced on Saturday that the Queen’s state funeral will happen at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19.

Canada’s nationwide commemoration will happen the identical day, together with a parade, a flypast and a 96-gun salute to mark every year of the queen’s life.

A nationally televised service shall be held at Anglican Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa, the place Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip worshipped on two events in 1957 and 1961.

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Christ Church hosted an identical nationwide commemoration when Philip died final 12 months and one other for the loss of life of the Queen Mom in 2002.

Parliament is about to reconvene for the autumn sitting on Sept. 19 and it was not instantly clear Saturday whether or not that schedule will go forward.

Earlier than the date of the Queen’s funeral was introduced, Privy Council President Dominic LeBlanc stated it’s necessary for the members of the Home of Commons and the Senate to have a possibility to honour the Queen’s service to Canada.

“We’re presently reflecting on probably the most applicable manner to try this,” he stated.

— With information from Michael Tutton in Halifax and Lee Berthiaume in Ottawa.