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King Charles III

In pictures: A look back on the first year of the reign of King Charles III

On 8 September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. Upon her death, her son, King Charles ascended the throne at the age of 73. As the one-year anniversary of his ascension approaches, Royal Central is taking a photographic look at the first year of his reign.

September 2022

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Following the death of Her Late Majesty, the new King and Queen Consort viewed tributes left outside Buckingham Palace. The days following The Late Queen’s death, it was a mix of duty and personal mourning. Charles gave his first speech to the nation on 9 September at 18:00 BST in which he paid tribute to his mother and announced the appointment of his eldest son. William, as Prince of Wales.

The following day, the Accession Council publicly proclaimed Charles as king. This would mark the first time the ceremony was televised and the first time the ceremony was held in 70 years.

October 2022

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After the national period of mourning ended in mid-September, it was back to normal for the royal family. The King and Queen visited Scotland in their first joint public engagement since that period ended. The couple visited to formally give city status to Dunfermline, the birthplace of King Charles I who reigned in the 17th century and was the last British monarch to be born in Scotland.

Dunfermline was one of eight towns that won city status as part of Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier in 2022 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne.

November 2022

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The King is pictured on 13 November during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph in London. The first wreath is traditionally laid on behalf of the nation by the Monarch followed by other members of the Royal Family. In the later years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, it was not uncommon for the new King to fill in for this part of the service.

December 2022

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A new era for the Sandringham Christmas service tradition as The King led the Royal Family to the service at St Mary Magdalene Church. His Majesty would also make his first Christmas Day address reflecting on the last few months and his hopes for the New Year.

January 2023

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The King and Queen light a candle at Buckingham Palace to mark Holocaust Memorial Day alongside Holocaust survivor, Dr Martin Sheen, and a survivor of the Darfur genocide, Amouna Adam.

February 2023

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His Majesty holds an audience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy nearly a year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This marked President Zelenskyy’s first visit to the UK since the invasion.

March 2023

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The King and Queen meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin for a ceremonial welcome. This was the first outgoing State Visit since The King’s accession. The visit included stops in Berlin, Brandenburg, and Hamburg. A State Visit to France was planned but postponed because of ongoing mass strikes and protests in the country.

April 2023

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The King and Queen helped set the stage, literally, for the Eurovision Song Contest by helping light the area. The contest was held at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

May 2023

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Just months after his accession, King Charles was crowned during his Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey. Queen Camilla was crowned alongside him. The biggest military parade in 70 years took to the streets of London afterwards with the Royal Family riding behind Their Majesties who made their procession through the streets of the capital in the Gold State Coach. The King and Queen then appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to huge cheers. King Charles was the fortieth Monarch to be crowned since 1066.

June 2023

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King Charles and Queen Camilla wave to crowds alongside the Wales family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour, the official birthday of the monarch. This of course marked the first Trooping the Colour with Charles as Monarch.

July 2023

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The King and Queen join the Prince and Princess of Wales in Scotland at the Palace of Holyroodhouse after a National Service of Thanksgiving and the Dedication to the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. During this service, the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish Crown Jewels) were presented to the new king. The service was based on a similar one held at St Giles 70 years beforehand to mark the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Unlike her service, the Stone of Destiny, on which ancient Scottish kings were crowned, was present in the cathedral.

August 2023

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His Majesty meets the Royal Regiment of Scotland mascot Shetland pony, Corporal Cruachan IV. The meeting happened during the inspection of Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland at the gates of Balmoral Castle. This was as The King began his summer residence at the castle.

About author

My name is Sydney Zatz and I am a University of Iowa graduate. I graduated with a degree in journalism and sports studies, and a minor in sport and recreation management. A highlight of my college career was getting the chance to study abroad in London and experiencing royal history firsthand. I have a passion for royals, royal history, and journalism, which led me to want to write for Royal Central.