King Charles III appears in parliament for first time as King to hear Queen tributes

Charles III made his first appearance in Parliament as Britain’s monarch today, September 12.

The monarch appeared emotional as MPs and peers stood to sing “God Save the King”.

Both houses gathered this morning to honour Queen Elizabeth following her death aged 96 on Thursday, September 8.

Addressing Parliament for the first time as Head of State, Charles quoted William Shakespeare while describing his “selfless” mother’s remarkable legacy.

“As Shakespeare says of the earlier Queen Elizabeth, she was ‘a pattern to all princes living'”, he said.

He added that he “could not help but feel the weight of history” as he stood in front of officials.

He said: “Parliament is the living and breathing instrument of our democracy. That your traditions are ancient we see in the construction of this great Hall and the reminders of medieval predecessors of the office to which I have been called.

“And the tangible connections to my darling late mother we see all around us; from the fountain in New Palace Yard which commemorates the late Queen’s Silver Jubilee to the sundial in Old Palace Yard for the Golden Jubilee, the magnificent Stained Glass Window before me for the Diamond Jubilee and, so poignantly and yet to be formally unveiled, your most generous gift to her late majesty to mark the unprecedented Platinum Jubilee which we celebrated only three months ago, with such joyful hearts.

“The great bell of Big Ben – one of the most powerful symbols of our nation throughout the world and housed within the Elizabeth Tower also named for my mother’s Diamond Jubilee – will mark the passage of the late Queen’s progress from Buckingham Palace to this Parliament on Wednesday.”