In the last ten days, King Charles III. led the country in mourning and traveled around 3,000 kilometers as the new monarch – all while mourning the loss of his “favorite mom”.
His demanding schedule has taken him from Castle to Cathedral and Reception in more than 30 assignments across the country since the Queen’s death.
And even yesterday, preparing to bury his mother, the king worked until the last moment on the eve of her funeral.
After meetings with Prime Minister Liz Truss and leaders of the realms, His Majesty hosted a grand official state reception at Buckingham Palace last night. He welcomed world leaders and foreign royals who had arrived to pay their respects to the late Queen.
Accompanied by senior working royals, His Majesty hosted VIPS including US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau late into the evening. It was his last engagement before the funeral.
King Charles III had more than 30 engagements since the Queen’s death and worked until the last moment on the eve of his mother’s funeral
These commitments were set out long ago in a detailed ten-day plan for after the Queen’s death. The operation, codenamed London Bridge, included dozens of events marking the Queen’s farewell as well as the King’s accession to the throne.
Little could have prepared the king for such an emotional and trying schedule. Last week His Majesty, accompanied by Camilla the Queen Consort, sped around on a tour of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Between his duties as the new monarch, he has led the royal family in honoring the Queen in a series of ceremonial events that were watched by the world.
The meticulously timed strategy was put into action with the words “London Bridge is down” when the Queen died on September 8th.
13 Sept Northern Ireland: Charles III. is greeted by members of the public, including a woman with a corgi named Connie
17 Sept London: The new King chats to people queuing near Lambeth Bridge to see the Queen lying in the state formation
12 Sept Edinburgh: Charles III. leads the vigil at St Giles’ Cathedral
Charles rushed some 150 miles from Dumfries House in Cumnock to Balmoral to be by his mother’s side in the precious moments leading up to her death. With little time to think, he was in London the next day to meet the Prime Minister before he was proclaimed king.
He then flew to Edinburgh to lead his siblings in a poignant funeral procession down the Royal Mile, followed by a church service and vigil. Here he began his tour of the nations, visiting the Scottish Parliament, meeting the First Minister and attending a reception.
The next day, accompanied by the Queen Consort, he embarked on the second leg of the tour, flying to Belfast Airport.
He was driven to Hillsborough Castle to meet Northern Ireland leaders before returning to London in time to receive the Queen’s coffin, which landed at RAF Northolt at 7pm on Tuesday.
The next day, at London’s first major ceremonial event, King Charles led the royal family in a public homage to the late Queen in a majestic procession.
Watched by all the world, the new monarch marched behind her coffin, followed by his siblings and sons, and delivered his mother into the nation’s care for four days.
On the seventh day, Operation London Bridge took a break from the demanding ceremonial events to give the monarch a moment of pause. While the King retired to Highgrove House in Gloucestershire on Wednesday night, he spent his short break from public duties working on relations with world leaders.
September 16: King Charles III. and Camilla, Queen Consort, depart in the royal limousine after the Princes’ Vigil, where the King and his siblings stood vigil at the coffin of their mother Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall
He spent most of Thursday speaking with more than eight presidents and governors general and is said to have been on the phone late into the evening.
He quickly resumed public duties the next day with his crucial first visit to Wales as king on Friday. He traveled to Cardiff by helicopter from Highgrove and visited Llandaff Cathedral and the Welsh Parliament before returning to London.
The Archbishop of Canterbury last week paid tribute to King Charles’ “extraordinary courage” following the death of the Queen.
The Most Rev Justin Welby said the average person would find the fulfillment of such duties after the loss of a parent unfathomable. He added, “The courage of his to do this is extraordinary, but it also shows his … service to the people.”
A source close to the king told the Chron: “The last few days have blown us away. His perseverance was amazing and the fact that he was able to do all of this while grieving for his mother is just remarkable. He’s a fine man.’