A time for family: Queen’s cousins the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and his daughter Lady Helen Taylor look sombre on first appearance since her death as they attend King Charles III’s proclamation
- Michael of Kent and Lady Helen Taylor spotted at King Charles III proclamation
- Accompanied by Duke of Gloucester, Prince Richard and the Duke of Kent
- It was the first time extended members of royal family seen since Queen’s death
- Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing
Members of the Queen’s extended family looked somber as they stepped out to attend King Charles III’s proclamation in St James this morning.
The Queen’s cousins Prince Michael of Kent and the Duke of Kent and his wife were spotted at St James Palace, where the new Monarch was proclaimed by the Accession Council.
The Duke of Kent’s daughter, Lady Helen Taylor, and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester were also in attendance.
It was the first time the late Monarch’s extended family have been seen since her death at Balmoral was announced on Thursday.
These extended members of the royal family have always shown their unwavering support for the late Monarch, and have appeared at several events, including the service of Thanksgiving held in honour of her reign in June during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Charles automatically became Sovereign on the death of his mother aged 96 at Balmoral Castle on Thursday afternoon, but the Accession Council – an ancient body of advisers that dates back as far as the time of the Norman Conquest – has formally announced his role as Head of State today.
Members of the Queen’s extended family looked somber as they stepped out to attend King Charles III’s proclamation in St James this morning. The Duke of Kent and daughter, Lady Helen Taylor were among them
Prince Michael of Kent, right, and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, were also in attendance this morning
Prince Michael of Kent, who is the younger son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, looked serious, wearing a navy suit for the occasion.
He manages his own consultancy firm, but has occasionally represented the late Queen Elizabeth II at some functions in outside the United Kingdom.
The Duke of Kent wore a navy blue suit for the historical moment today. Prince Edward, who was the Queen’s first cousin, is involved with over 140 different charities, organisations and professional bodies on behalf of the Royal Family.
A peripheral royal happy to lead a life largely under the radar, Lady Helen, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, wore a smart black suit for the a solemn moment.
Lady Helen walked alongside the Duke of Kent as they made their way through St James Palace this morning
Lady Helen Taylor was accompanied by her son Cassius, 25, right, who is Lady Amelia Windsor and Lord Edward Downpatrick’s cousin
She was accompanied by her son Cassius, whom she shares with art dealer Timothy Taylor.
Cousin to Lady Amelia Windsor and Lord Edward Downpatrick, 25-year-old Cassius also donned a beard, alongside a black suit as he took his seat four rows back from the front.
Meanwhile, Prince Richard, the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary, looked sombre in a pin-stripped black suit.
The Duke is and a paternal cousin of the Queen. He carries out duties on behalf of the royal family and is patron of many societies.
The Duke of Kent, who was accompanied by his wife, daughter and grandson, looked somber in a navy blue suit
Their appearance today came as King Charles III has made a personal declaration on the death of his beloved mother Queen Elizabeth II and vowed to uphold ‘constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands, and of the Commonwealth realms and territories throughout the world’.
Broadcast cameras were allowed into the historic event today giving the world a first glimpse of an ancient ceremony dating back centuries – and one of the first changes to convention instigated by the new King.
At 11am, trumpets then sounded from the balcony of St James’s Palace as the Principal Proclamation announcing the King was read out.
Crowds gathered outside the palace as the King was officially proclaimed Sovereign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including Supreme Head of the Church of England and Commander-in-Chief of Britain’s Armed Forces, as well as Head of State of the Commonwealth and British territories around the world.
Gun salutes at Hyde Park, the Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle, Hillsborough Castle and Cardiff Castle were then fired before the National Anthem was performed by The Band of the Coldstream Guards alongside eight State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry. They were accompanied by the St James’s Palace Detachment of The King’s Guard made up of Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards. The crowd of well-wishers joined the King’s Guard gathered outside the palace in three cries of ‘hip hip hooray’ for the King.
On a balcony above Friary Court in St James’s, David White – an official known as the Garter King of Arms – read the proclamation. He ended by saying: ‘Given at St James’s Palace this 10th day of September in year of our Lord 2022.’ In the moments after, ‘God save the King’ was shouted out.
Source: Read Full Article
