Private mourning for the Royal Family and cannon fire in London: on Friday, the United Kingdom marked the first anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II after 70 years of reign, and the accession to the throne of her son King Charles III.
Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96 on 8 September 2022 in her castle at Balmoral in Scotland, where she traditionally spent her summers. A period of national mourning then began, during which time hundreds of thousands of Britons waited for tens of hours to see the sovereign's coffin and pay their respects.
A new chapter began for the United Kingdom and the 14 Commonwealth nations whose head of state is the British monarch, and Charles III became King at age 74.
One year on, no major public event is planned to commemorate the change of era. In London, cannons will however be fired from Hyde Park and the Tower of London.
The King and Queen Camilla, who are currently staying at Balmoral, continuing the tradition started by the late Queen, will go to the small nearby church of Crathie Kirk for a moment of prayer. Prince William, heir to the throne, and his wife Kate, meanwhile, will attend a private church service in Wales at St Davids Cathedral, which the late Queen visited in 1955.
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The government revealed a few days ago that plans for a "permanent memorial" would be unveiled in 2026, the centenary of Elizabeth II's birth.
"We remember with great affection her long life, her devoted service and all that she meant to so many of us," King Charles III recalled in a recorded message for the anniversary of Her Majesty's death.
