United Kingdom has a new King

Queen Elizabeth’s eldest son Charles is now the United Kingdom’s King.

He will be known as Charles III and is head of state of the UK and the Commonwealth, including New Zealand.

At the moment the Queen died, the throne passed immediately to the heir, Charles, the former Prince of Wales.

His first decision was to come up with his new title. He could have chosen from any of his four names – Charles Philip Arthur George.

There is also a new title for Charles’ wife, Camilla, who becomes the Queen Consort.

The official ceremony took place on Sunday at St James’s Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

At the ceremony, the death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced by the Lord President of the Privy Council, and a proclamation of the new King was read aloud.

The proclamation has traditionally been a series of prayers and promises – paying tribute to the previous monarch and support for the new one.

Following that the new King attends a second meeting where he makes a declaration – in line with a tradition dating from the early 18th Century – and he will make an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland.

After a fanfare of trumpeters, a public proclamation will declare Charles as the new King.

This will be made from a balcony above Friary Court in St James’s Palace, by an official known as the Garter King of Arms.

At this point, Charles will formally be crowned.