With Queen Elizabeth II's death, Prince Charles inherits the responsibilities of the royal family monarch and the privileges of a king, but will only be crowned after about a year.
History professor Kate Williams at England's Reading University said that the coronation ceremony typically takes a year because it is seen as unseemly to have a coronation ceremony straight after someone's death, saying that the royal family will have a long period of mourning.
Prince Charles' Coronation
While there have been various speculations that 73-year-old Charles might step aside to allow his son, 40-year-old Prince William, to take the reins, there is no truth in that rumor. Williams noted that Charles has waited for this moment and he believes that he can do a good job.
Williams noted that there are many people who suggest that Charles will abdicate because William and his wife, Kate Middleton, are more popular. However, she said that that is not the case at all.
Abdication is more common in other European royal houses when a monarch reaches a certain age but is extremely rare in England. The last time that a king abdicated the British throne was on Dec. 11, 1936, when King Edward VIII stepped away from the monarchy after nearly a year to marry divorced American Wallis Simpson, as per People.
Charles, with his accession upon the death of his mother, inherits the responsibilities and privileges of a consecrated king, except one: he will not be allowed to publicly wear a crown until his coronation.
He will take the throne, in accordance with the royal line of succession, to be followed by Prince William, who will now be followed by the latter's elder child, nine-year-old Prince George. The next in line is seven-year-old Princess Charlotte, George's sister, followed by their youngest sibling, four-year-old Prince Louis. The fifth in line to the throne is now Prince Harry.
According to NBC News, the fallen monarch's eldest son will now be known as King Charles III, one that he chose for himself. He had the option of retaining any of his four names - Charles Philip Arthur George.
Queen Elizabeth's Funeral
While Prince William is heir to the throne, he will not automatically become Prince of Wales, which will have to be conferred on him by his father. The former has inherited Charles' title of Duke of Cornwall, and William and Kate are now titled Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.
Charles' wife, Camilla, now becomes the Queen Consort, which is a term used for the spouse of the monarch. Charles is expected to officially be proclaimed as king on Saturday and will happen at St. James' Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.
The situation comes as, on the first day of mourning, ceremonial gun salutes are expected at Hyde Park and at Tower Hill, and a national minute's silence is expected to be held. King Charles would be expected to conduct his first audience with the prime minister and is scheduled to meet the Earl Marshal to officially sign off on the full funeral plans for his late mother, The Guardian reported.
Related Article:
Queen Elizabeth II Dies at 96; UK Mourns Loss of Longest-Reigning Monarch
