King Charles III formally declared sovereign

King Charles III was officially announced as Britain’s monarch Saturday, in a ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism - and, for the first time, broadcast live. Charles automatically became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday.

The accession ceremony is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country. The ceremony at St. James’s Palace, a royal residence in London, is attended by the Accession Council, senior politicians and officials who advise the monarch.

The ceremony ended with a royal official publicly proclaiming King Charles III the monarch from a balcony at the palace - a relic of centuries past, when this would have been the first official confirmation the public had of their new sovereign.