The newly-appointed British King made the comments when he met the nation's newly anointed Conservative leader at Buckingham Palace for the first time on Friday, September 9.
- Sep 10, 2022
AceShowbiz - King Charles III has admitted to Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss he had spent his life dreading the moment of his mother Queen Elizabeth's death. He made the comments when he met the nation's newly anointed Conservative leader at Buckingham Palace for the first time on Friday, September 9.
Ms Truss, who had met Her Majesty at Balmoral earlier this week before her death aged 96 was announced, was seen in photos and footage meeting the 73-year-old new King, marking the oldest person in British history to take the country's throne. Video published by ITV News captured the candid moment the King told the Prime Minister that he had been "dreading" the death of Britain's longest-serving monarch.
The King enthusiastically shook Ms Truss' hand as he said, "It's very good of you to come… you're very kind, you're very kind. It's the moment I've been dreading, as I know a lot of people have." The King then waved his arms in a forward motion before adding, "But we'll try to keep everything going."
Ms Truss had earlier led tributes in the House of Commons to the Queen as she urged the U.K. to support their new monarch. She told MPs about the King, "Even as he mourns, his sense of duty and service is clear."
Parliament and normal politics is largely on hold for the official 10-day mourning period in the wake of the Queen's passing. Ms Truss added in the Commons about the monarch's death, "As we meet today, we remember the pledge she made on her 21st birthday to dedicate her life to service. The whole House will agree, never has a promise been so completely fulfilled. Her devotion to duty remains an example to us all. She carried out thousands of engagements, she took a red box everyday, she gave her assent to countless pieces of legislation and was at the heart of our national life for seven decades."
Saturday will see some senior ministers take an oath of allegiance to the King from 2pm. Every MP will have the option of taking an oath to the King when the House returns but are not obliged to. Shortly after the Queen's passing was confirmed by Buckingham Palace, Ms Truss hailed her as the "rock on which modern Britain was built". Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer said she was a "symbol of the best of us."
