(CNN) — Prince William paid tribute to his “Pa” King Charles III. at the coronation concert on Sunday and said: “We are all so proud of you” as he evoked the memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
“I know she is looking down on us lovingly up there and would make a very proud mother,” said the Prince of Wales at the ceremony in the grounds of Windsor Castle. He added his grandmother described coronations as “a testament to our hopes for the future”.
William began his speech on a humorous note, promising the crowd that unlike singer Lionel Richie, who performed at the concert, he wouldn’t “last all night” with his speech.
Instead, William said he just wanted to “say a few words about my dad and why I think this weekend is so important.”
He then paid a heartfelt tribute to the King, noting his dedication to the service over the years.
“As grand as the celebration is, at the heart of the pageant is a simple message: service. My father’s first words upon entering Westminster Abbey yesterday were a promise of service,” Prince William said.
“It was a promise to continue to serve. Because for over 50 years it has been in every corner of the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world [el rey Carlos] dedicated to serving others, both present and future generations, and those whose memory must not be forgotten,” the prince continued.
Highlighting the king’s commitment to the environment, William said the monarch “warned us about the health risks to our planet long before it was a common problem”.
He also praised the King’s charitable contributions through his Prince’s Trust, which William said has “supported more than a million young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, to achieve their aspirations”.
“Pa, we are all so proud of you,” said the prince, addressing the king directly.
Prince William ended his short speech by thanking the “millions of people who serve in the armed forces, in classrooms, in the health wards and in local communities,” and making his own pledge to “serve.” [a] all”.
King Charles III was crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey on Saturday as supporters thronged the streets of the British capital.
After the ceremony, the King and some members of the Royal Family appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as usual, but the parade of military aircraft was reduced due to bad weather.
Police arrested dozens of people during the coronation after promising protesters a “strong” crackdown.