Taking the Oath: King Charles III Ascends to the Throne at 73—the Oldest British Monarch to Do So

Although Charles automatically became King as the Queen passed, his position was formalized on Saturday by the UK’s Accession Council.

After the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on Thursday, King Charles III ascended to the throne. While the late Queen was crowned at 27 years old in 1953, Charles began his reign at 73. It’s the oldest ascension to the throne from any monarch in British history. 

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Although Charles automatically became King as the Queen passed, his position was formalized on Saturday. At St. James’s Palace, the UK’s Accession Council, comprised of the prime minister, officers of state, cabinet members, Archbishops, and senior civil servants, gathered for a two-part meeting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjZlGWXV12w

After the meetings, His Majesty was declared, where he read and signed an oath. It included a law that secured the separation of powers between the Church and the State of Scotland. “I understand that the Law requires that I should, at My Accession to the Crown, take and subscribe to the Oath relating to the Security of the Church of Scotland,” His Majesty said in his Oath

“I am ready to do so at this first opportunity. I, Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and My other Realms and Territories, King, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I shall inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the true Protestant Religion as established by the Laws made in Scotland in the prosecution of the Claim of Right and particularly by an Act intituled ‘An Act for securing the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government’ and by the Acts passed in the Parliament of both Kingdoms for Union of the two Kingdoms, together with the Government, Worship, Discipline, Rights, and Privileges of the Church of Scotland. So help me, God.”

Currently, there’s no confirmed timeline for the King’s public coronation event. However, it’s likely to take place in the following months. When Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, passed, her ceremony only happened 16 months after her accession. 

Banner image by Debbie Fan on Unsplash.

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