"I think he will make a wonderful King": Cornwall's reactions to King Charles III

Dignitaries and politicians have been reacting as they paid tribute to Her Majesty The Queen

Author: Emma HartPublished 10th Sep 2022

In paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth ll, the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall has said he believes her son, King Charles lll, will make a "wonderful King".

King Charles was formally proclaimed Monarch on Saturday at a historic Accession Council.

During this ceremony, His Majesty approved an order meaning the day of the Queen's funeral will be a bank holiday, although a date for the funeral is yet to be confirmed.

King Charles III paid tribute to the reign of the late Queen, "unequalled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion", as he was formally declared the nation’s new monarch.

During a poignant and sombre meeting of the Accession Council, the King spoke movingly about his mother and the grief his family is experiencing, but said the "sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers" had been the "greatest consolation".

The council met at the State Apartments of St James's Palace at 10am, and the meeting was televised for the first time.

Watched by the Queen, the new Prince of Wales and more than 200 privy counsellors – including six former prime ministers – the King pledged himself to the task now before him and the "heavy responsibilities of Sovereignty".

He added that his mother would be his guide for the years ahead as he strived to "follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government".

On Friday the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Edward Bolitho, paid tribute to The Queen, saying: "It's extraordinary. She was older than almost everybody in the country and not only that but she'd been on the throne for more than practically everyone as well; it's a quite extraordinary life. I think historians will look back in years to come and say the second Elizabethan age was every bit as great as the first Elizabethan age.

"She was in many ways quite a quiet person and yet she exuded this atmosphere of joy and happiness which she really passed on to everybody else and to continue to be able to do that, age 96, is really quite extraordinary. Gosh we will miss her".

Speaking about her son Charles becoming King, he added: "We know him very well in Cornwall, they love the place and I think he will make a wonderful King. He is probably the most hard-working man I've ever come across and he is deeply devoted to the country and in getting things right".

Politicians, including Newquay and St Austell MP Steve Double, said the country will welcome King Charles lll. "We've never experienced this - the death of a Monarch and somebody new coming to the throne".

He continued: "I'm sure each of us individually will have our own way of reflecting on the life of The Queen and respecting and honouring her life and memory and also welcoming now King Charles to take up that place".

Truro and Falmouth MP Cherilyn Mackrory said the nation would look to King Charles as we remember The Queen: "She reminds me of my grandparents' generation where there is gentle humour and stoicism and in a world where, today, we have lots of ups and downs and lots of exaggeration and drama, actually she was just this constant calm energy with courage.

"She would always ask us to take courage when the nation was in peril such as times like Covid and as we know, during the war she had that message to children to take courage and I think that has been a theme of her communication with her subjects, her nation throughout her whole reign and it is to calm us all down and keep us on a steady footing".

She added: "Hopefully her son, King Charles lll, will be able to continue that and I think we have to look to him now".

Cornwall's proclamation of King Charles lll will take place outside Truro Cathedral on Sunday 11th September at 1pm.

The life of King Charles lll

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