Islington’s mayoress Councillor Marian Spall reads the address

QUEEN Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III’ ascension to become the monarch was proclaimed in Islington on Sunday afternoon, while the flag was raised to its full height briefly, after flying at half mast since the Queen’s death on Thursday.

The mayoress, Councillor Marian Spall, read out the statement that was first uttered outside St James’ Palace on Saturday after the accession council, which was attended by 250 dignitaries and a meeting of the privy council.

As part of a series of historic and traditional events across the country to mark the accession of the King, Cllr Spall was joined on the steps of Islington Town Hall by Islington’s Leader of the council Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Islington South MP Emily Thornberry, as well as a host of other dignitaries from firefighters to religious leaders. 

Firefighters with Reverend James Hughesdon of St Mary’s Islington

She said: “Today’s ceremony marks a formal proclamation to the people of Islington of the beginning of our new King’s reign. Yesterday the accession council met at St. James’s Palace to proclaim our new sovereign. The flags, which had flown at half mast since the Queen’s death, were raised briefly to that full height to mark the start of His Majesty’s reign.”

Colonel Brian Kay, the Sheriff of Islington, took a moment to remember some of the Queen’s moving speeches, recalling how she had addressed the nation in times of trouble. 

He said: “I’d like to quote from two Christmas day broadcasts made by our late sovereign, the first in 1960. And I quote, ‘it has been women who have weaved gentleness and care into the harsh progress of mankind. The struggle is against inhuman prejudice, against squalor, ignorance and disease. We have always owed a great deal to the tenacity and determination of women’. Then in 1975 25 years on, again, the Christmas Day speech and I quote, ‘The whole fabric of our society is threatened by inflation. The frightening sickness of the world today, we may feel powerless alone, but with the joint efforts of individuals we can defeat the evils of our time’. True then, true today.”

Colonel Brian Kay

A council official held the mace upside down while the address took place. The proclamation was followed by the National Anthem. There were also prayers led by the Reverend James Hughesdon, while Rabbi Mendi Korer of Chabad Islington attended the event with his wife Hadasa and children. Several Islington councillors also came to pay their respects to the departed monarch and welcome in the new sovereign. 

David John Day, Islington’s Standard Bearer and poppy appeal organiser stood alongside the Chairman of Islington Veteren’s Association Martin Kirk.  

Republican placards were held up by three people in a silent protest with messages saying “End Feudalism” and “Born Equal”.

A muted protest that took place during the ceremony

The ceremony itself is part of the pageantry that follows the monarch’s death, from the days when news wasn’t spread via online publications and would have taken longer to disseminate amongst the general population. King Charles III himself gave permission for the message to be circulated during the accession council yesterday. Others have taken place in commonwealth countries as well as nations, counties, towns and boroughs across the UK.

The Queen’s funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on September 19, which will be a bank holiday.