King Charles III - what time will he address the nation, how to watch on TV, what is he likely to say?

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Here is everything you need to know ahead of King Charles III’s first televised address to the nation.

King Charles III is set to address the nation for the first time as sovereign later on Friday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The new king, who rushed to the queen’s Scottish residence in Balmoral on Thursday, was scheduled to return to London with his wife Camilla, now Queen Consort, before meeting the prime minister and delivering a broadcast speech.

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A statement announcing the Queen’s death came at 6.30pm on Thursday afternoon, several hours after it emerged that doctors were concerned for her health.

The passing of the Queen, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch for 70 years, has since drawn condolences from all corners of the globe.

And later today, King Charles III will pay tribute to his beloved mother and pledge his duty to a life of service in a speech that will be televised.

King Charles III is now the sovereign head of stateKing Charles III is now the sovereign head of state
King Charles III is now the sovereign head of state | Getty Images

The broadcast address will be King Charles III’s first as Head of State since ascending to the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 14 other Commonwealth states.

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On Thursday, King Charles’ official spokesperson confirmed that he will deliver his first speech since his mother’s death on Friday.

He is scheduled to deliver the speech tonight around 6pm in a pre-recorded televised address.

The address will be broadcast on BBC One and all of its news stations, as well as ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky News, and others.

The address will most likely be made available on the Royal family‘s official social media platforms and on YouTube.

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A live stream of the event will also be available on other social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

Apart from paying tribute to his mother, he will also be pledging his duty to a life of service, just as his mother did in 1952, that was made on her 21st birthday on April 21, 1947.

In a radio broadcast from Cape Town, the late Queen said: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

King Charles III is expected to repeat these words in his first address to the nation.

The 73-year-old monarch is the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and is the oldest monarch in British history.

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