Britain’s royal family is remembering Queen Elizabeth II on the first anniversary of her death.
King Charles III, the eldest of the queen and the late Prince Philip’s four children, said in a statement that he is remembering his mother’s “long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us.”
The queen, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, died Sept. 8, 2022, at age 96 at Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s longtime retreat in Scotland. Upon her death, Charles became king and his wife Camilla became queen.
“In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us,” Charles said in his statement. “I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during this year as we do our utmost to be of service to you all.”
Charles and Camilla are marking the first anniversary of the queen’s death privately at Balmoral Castle.
During the queen’s 70-year reign, she spent summers at Balmoral, a tradition that Charles is now continuing.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in London, on June 5, 2022.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images, FILE
In addition to the statement remembering his mother, Charles also released a photo of the queen to mark the anniversary of her death.
The photo of the queen, which had not been previously released to the public, was taken at Buckingham Palace on Oct. 16, 1968, by photographer Cecil Beaton. It was chosen specifically by Charles, according to the palace.
Last September, Elizabeth’s death kicked off a period of official mourning for the royal family that lasted until seven days after the queen’s state funeral, which took place Sept. 19, 2022, at Westminster Abbey.
Over the past year, the royal family has undergone change both privately and publicly as they have adapted to life without the queen, who led her family and her country for seven decades.
The most public transformation came last May, with the coronation of Charles and Camilla, the first coronation held in the U.K. since Elizabeth’s in 1953.
King Charles III stands after being crowned during his coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, on May 6, 2023, in London.
Richard Pohle, WPA Pool via Getty Images, FILE
Other family members have also taken on new roles since the queen’s death, most notably Charles’ eldest son William and his wife, Kate, who became the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Charles’ younger son Prince Harry threw the royal family a curveball just four months after the queen’s death, in January, with the release of his bombshell memoir “Spare.”
In the book, Harry detailed his fractured relationships with Charles and William, as well as his thoughts on the future of the monarchy. Neither Buckingham Palace nor members of the royal family have commented publicly on the allegations Harry made in “Spare.”
Prince William, Prince of Wales, King Charles III, David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, King Charles III and Anne, Princess Royal walk behind the State Hearse ahead of the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on Sept. 19, 2022, in Windsor, England.
Leon Neal/Getty Images, FILE
Harry, who now lives in California with his wife Meghan and their two children, traveled to London this week to attend an awards ceremony sponsored by WellChild — a charity for terminally ill children, of which he is patron — but he is not expected to meet with his father or brother, nor is he expected to join any public remembrance of his late grandmother.
Harry, who is traveling on to Germany for the Invictus Games, did speak about the queen in his WellChild speech, saying, “I was unable to attend the awards last year as my grandmother passed away … I know, exactly one year on, that she is looking down on all of us tonight, happy we’re together, continuing to spotlight such an incredible community.”
In addition to internal family turmoil, Charles and the royal family have also faced growing unrest against the monarchy over the past year, in the wake of Elizabeth’s death.
During Charles’ coronation in May, hundreds of anti-monarchy protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square in Central London, where they booed loudly and chanted “not my king.” The issues that motivated the protesters, such as the monarchy being out of date and linked to colonialism, have continued to present serious challenges to Charles as he tries to keep the crown relevant.
On the first anniversary of the queen’s death Friday, at least one anti-monarchy group, No More Royals, had announced it would hold a rally outside of Buckingham Palace.
Source: abc news
