Transcript of King Charles III first speech

Full Transcript of King Charles III first address to the nation. On Friday September 9th, following the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the new King Charles III gave his inaugural address to the nation.

Here’s the full transcript of his speech:

“I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow. 

Throughout her life, Her Majesty the Queen, my beloved mother, was an inspirational example to me and all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt pledge any family could owe to their mother. 

Her love, affection, guidance, understanding, an example. 

Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived, a promise that destiny kept. And she is mourned mostly in her passing. 

That promise of lifelong service I renew to all today.

Alongside the personal grief and all my family are feeling, we also share with so many of them in the United Kingdom, in all the countries where the Queen is head of state, in the Commonwealth and across the world, a deep sense of gratitude for the more than 70 years in which my mother as Queen served the people of so many nations.

 In 1947, on her 21st birthday, she pledged in a broadcast from Cape Town to the Commonwealth to devote her life, whether it be short or long, to the service of their people. 

That was more than a promise. 

It was a profound personal commitment, which defined her whole life. 

She made sacrifices for duty. Her dedication and devotion as sovereign never wavered through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss. 

In her life of service, we saw that abiding our traditions together with that fearless embrace of progress, which makes us great as a nation. 

The affection, admiration and respect she inspired became a hallmark of her reign, and as every member of my family can testify, she defined these qualities with warmth, humour and an unerring ability of always seeing the best in people. 

I pay tribute to my mother’s memory, and I honour her life of service. I know that her death brings great sadness to so many of you, and I share that sense of loss beyond measure with you all. 

When the Queen came to the throne, Britain and the world was still coping with the privations and aftermath of the Second World War, and still living by the conventions of earlier time. In the course of the last 70 years, we have seen our society has become one of many cultures and many faiths. 

The institutions of the state are changed internally, but through all changes challenged, our nation and the wider family of realms of whose talents, traditions and achievements I am so inexpressively proud, have prospered and flourished. 

Our values have remain, and must remain, constant. 

The role and the duties of the monarchy also remain, as does the sovereign’s particular relationship and responsibility towards the Church of England, the church, in which my own faith is so deeply rooted. 

In that faith and the values teaching style, I have been brought up to cherish a sense of duty to others and to hold in the greatest respect the precious traditions, freedoms and responsibilities of our unique history and our system of parliamentary government. 

As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation. 

And wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I should endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life. 

My life will of course change when I take up my new responsibilities. It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energy to the charities and issues for which I care deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others. 

This is also a time of change for my family. 

I count on the loving help of my darling wife Camilla. 

In recognition of her own loyal public service since I married 17 years ago, she becomes my queen consort. 

I know she will bring to the demands of her new role her steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much. 

As my heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me. He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall, which I have undertaken for more than five decades. 

Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose titled I’ve been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life with duty. 

With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversation, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given. 

I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas. 

In a little over a week’s time, we will come together as a nation, as a Commonwealth and indeed a global community, to lay my beloved mother to rest. 

In our sorrow, let us remember and draw strength from the light of her example. 

On behalf of all my family, I can only offer the most sincere and heartfelt thanks for your condolences and support. They mean more to me than I could ever possibly express. 

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 the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”