King Charles Releases First Statement After Queen Elizabeth II's Passing

On Thursday afternoon, King Charles made his first statement after Queen Elizabeth IIpassed away around 1:30 PM ET on Thursday, September 8, 2022.

At exactly that time, The Royal Family shared a black-and-white photo of the late Queen to their social media page, revealing that she had passed away at the age of 96.

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," they tweeted. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Early Thursday morning, Buckingham Palace released a statement revealing that her frail health had taken a turn for the worse:

“Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”

At the time, Clarence House reported that then-Prince Charles and his wife Camilla were by her side and Prince William was en route. Immediate family members were notified, with Prince Harry also traveling to be by his grandmother's side in her final moments.

The message posted to The Royal Family's social media accounts reads as follows:

“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.”

“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”

Many individuals had lived and died only knowing Queen Elizabeth as the Monarch. Queen Elizabeth II was born in 1926, making her just slightly older than sliced bread. In 1953, she became Queen and recently celebrated her 70th anniversary a few months ago.

Her husband, Prince Philip, passed away last year, at the age of 99. Their wedding at Westminister Abbey in 1947 resulted in a historic celebration that was broadcast around the world.

As the New York Times reported, a rare double rainbow was seen over the crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace and many took to the streets to publicly mourn her passing, some singing "God Save the Queen."

At this time, it is unknown when King Charles, 73, will be coronated as Queen in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms. Earlier this year, the Queen expressed her wish to see his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, 75, become Queen Consort.

In a statement in February, the Queen released an official statement that read, “And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.”

A statement by the Clarence House said that the couple was “touched and honored” by the Queen’s gesture. Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt responded to the news, saying, “This is the most extraordinary message. The Queen is ensuring the transition, when it comes, to her son as king is as seamless and trouble free as possible."

"She’s future-proofing an institution she’s served for 70 years," he continued. "And for Camilla, the journey from being the third person in a marriage to queen-in-waiting, is complete.”

President Joe Biden has also released a lengthy statement, calling her "more than a monarch" and saying that she "defined an era."