Over the course of the last few years, the British royal family has endured a lot of change. But nothing can really compare to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The long-reigning monarch died in September 2022, leaving her son, King Charles III, to accede the throne. A new book from royal author Robert Hardman, due out this Friday, reveals the new monarch’s reaction to the first time he was called “Your Majesty,” and what he said was unsurprisingly somber.
On Sept. 8, 2022, King Charles and Queen Camilla were driving from the king’s home in Scotland, Birkhall, to Balmoral, the late queen’s Scottish escape, according to Hardman’s The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, per The Daily Mail via Marie Claire. It was during the drive that Queen Elizabeth’s eldest son was instructed by his team to pull over. Sir Edward Young, the queen’s private secretary, got a hold of one of Charles’ own team members who was with him in the Land Rover that was being driven to Balmoral.
Former butler to King Charles III, Grant Harrold, reveals the monarch’s unexpected Christmas tradition of leaving small gifts in his employees’ lockers. https://t.co/kTnp7JEMnv
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“The new monarch knew exactly what was coming next,” Hardman writes. “He had just turned off the B976 onto the back drive of the estate when, at the age of 73, he was addressed as ‘Your Majesty’ for the first time. No further explanation was needed,” writes Hardman. Charles’s only response? “We’re nearly there.” According to Hardman, while his team expressed their condolences, King Charles drove on to Balmoral and was later greeted by his younger sister, Princess Anne, upon arrival.
This insight into the ultimate moment King Charles learned his mother died is more than sobering. It’s an indication of just how somber and painful the moment was, and yet, King Charles was ready to drive on and by this account desired to. It’s a true reminder that, despite the pomp and circumstance of the coronation, the actual moment Charles went from prince to king was quiet, subdued, and incredibly intimate.
Before you go, click here to see all the best pictures from King Charles III’s coronation.
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