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People watch Charles' speech at a pub in London
Photo: Bernat Armangue/AP
The new King Charles III.
sits at a dark wooden table, on the left are flowers, on the right his mother smiles from a black framed picture frame.
"I speak to you today with feelings of deep sadness," says Charles.
"Her Majesty the Queen, my beloved mother, has been an inspiration and role model to me and my entire family throughout her life."
The monarch delivered his first address to the nation from Buckingham Palace on Friday evening.
It was broadcast live on television.
In it, the 73-year-old recalled the “trademarks of his mother”, who was shown so much affection: her warmth, her humor and the unmistakable ability to always see the best in people”.
"Love for Harry and Meghan"
Charles also made a promise to his people: "As the Queen herself has done, with such unwavering devotion, I also pledge that during the remaining time that God grants me, I will uphold the constitutional principles in the heart of our nation."
It is also a time of change for his family, the king said.
He counts on "the loving help of my beloved wife Camilla" and is proud of his son William, the new Prince of Wales.
He and his wife Catherine will continue to "inspire and lead" the country.
The king only mentioned his younger son Harry and his wife Meghan, who had publicly distanced themselves from the royal family last year: “I would also like to express my love for Harry and Meghan, who continue to live abroad build up."
Finally, Charles addressed the Queen.
»My beloved Mama, as you embark on your final great journey to meet my dear late Papa, I just want to say thank you.
Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently over the years.
May swarms of angels sing you to your eternal rest.«
praise for the king
In the United Kingdom, the reactions to this first speech by the new king were overwhelmingly positive.
The BBC's Royal Correspondent, Sean Coughlan, spoke of a "leading speech without any pomposity" full of "undisguised emotion about his family".
He emphasized the symbolism: the room in which Charles spoke had previously been used by his mother for Christmas messages.
There are also three Corgi figures at the base of the vase.
The British tabloid The Sun said King Charles' speech gave "confidence that he will fill his role with the wisdom, skill and compassion of his mother".
Patrick Jephson, the former secretary to Charles' first wife Diana, also praised the speech.
You can currently feel a mixture of sadness and gratitude towards the late Queen.
Charles managed to capture those emotions in his speech.
The importance of mentioning Harry and Meghan was debated.
The author Tom Bower said that by mentioning Harry and Meghan, Charles had sent a forgiving sign, also to prevent the family dispute from escalating further due to new revelations from the Sussexes.
"He has to find a way to shut her up."
The BBC called the mention of the two a peace offering.
A Twitter user wrote: "That was a perfect speech from #KingCharles (...) His expression of love for #HarryandMeghan shows that the Daily Mail is really 'out of sync'." The tabloid always reports particularly polarizing on this family rift.
Friday night's speech was King Charles III's first TV appearance since the death of the Queen on Thursday.
Charles was officially proclaimed king in London on Saturday afternoon.
