MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Charles III arrives at Buckingham Palace on his first full day as king

Thousands gathered at Buckingham Palace to welcome the new king and queen consort and pay their respects

King Charles III was greeted by a crowd as he arrived at Buckingham Palace Friday for the first time as the British monarch following Queen Elizabeth II's passing the day before at Balmoral Castle, although he will be officially proclaimed as such Saturday morning.

Queen Elizabeth II's memorial will be held Monday, September 19, at Westminster Abbey.

The new king shook hands with many bystanders before proceeding to his engagements alongside his wife and Queen Consort, Camilla of Cornwall.

The bells tolled from St. Paul's Cathedral to Westminster in memory of Queen Elizabeth, the signal that formally launched the official mourning rites, followed by the 96 cannon gunshots fired from Hyde Park, one for each year of the late sovereign's life.

Among the monarch's activities were meetings with Prime Minister Liz Truss and with the Duke of Norfolk, master of ceremonies of the court, with whom he will review and approve the final schedule for the commemorations which shall feature 12 days of national mourning, during which Elizabeth's coffin will be displayed for popular reverence at Westminster, as it happened with Queen Mother Anne, who died aged over 100 in 2002.

There will be no on-site book of condolences, but there will be one online, for those wishing to leave messages.

Tens of thousands are expected in Edinburgh, where a ceremony is being arranged at St. Giles Cathedral, where the royal family will attend a service and then the coffin will remain on display for 24 hours. Strict security measures are being prepared throughout Edinburgh and several streets in the city have been closed.

The British government expects large crowds to gather in central London and other royal residences as a show of respect, which might cause traffic problems. Nevertheless, instructions for the period of national mourning (until the queen's funeral) have been issued: no businesses or traders are required to close their doors and there will be no need to cancel or postpone sporting events and fixtures, or close entertainment venues, nor are public museums, galleries or similar venues forced to remain closed.

The British Parliament Friday also pledged allegiance to Charles III. In her opening statement, Truss said that “the British parliament and its people stand ready to guarantee support and devotion to His Majesty King Charles III.” Queen Elizabeth II was “one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen,” Truss said after observing a minute's silence. She also praised King Charles III for his “sense of duty” in this time of mourning and grief.

The Prime Minister who was appointed by the late Queen two days before her death also underlined the new monarch's commitment to “environmental conservation, social issues, and diplomacy.”