The Queen funeral bank holiday: Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt confirms that day of monarch's funeral will be a bank holiday during accession ceremony for King Charles III

The Accession Council ceremony, where King Charles III will be formally proclaimed monarch, took place at the State Apartments of St James’s Palace.

Attending will be Camilla, the new Prince of Wales, and other Privy Councillors including the Prime Minister and Archbishop of Canterbury.

The proclamation confirming Charles as King was signed by members of the Privy Council including the new Prince of Wales, the Queen, Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt, who is the Lord President of the Council, Prime Minister Liz Truss and the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

The King has approved an order that the day of the Queen’s funeral will be a bank holiday. The date of the funeral has not yet been announced.

Ms Mordaunt said: ‘Drafts of two proclamations. One – appointing the day of Her late Majesty’s state funeral as a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

‘Two – appointing the day of Her late Majesty’s state funeral as a bank holiday in Scotland.

‘And of two orders in council, directing the Lord Chancellor to affix the great seal to the proclamations.’

Charles answered: ‘Approved.’

Former prime ministers including Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron and Gordon Brown were at the Accession Council ceremony.

Mr Brown and Mr Johnson chatted before the ceremony began, while Mr Cameron and Mrs May also chatted.

Opening proceedings at the Accession Council, Ms Mordaunt said: ‘My lords, it is my sad duty to inform you that Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has passed away on Thursday the 8th of September 2022, at Balmoral Castle.

‘I propose that, when certain necessary business has been transacted, a deputation consisting of Her Majesty, His Royal Highness, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of York, the Prime Minister, the clerk of the Council, and myself, shall wait on the King and inform him the Council is assembled.’

Reading the text of the proclamation, the clerk of the council said: ‘Whereas it has pleased almighty God to call to his mercy our late Sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth II of blessed and glorious memory, by whose decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George.

‘We, therefore, the lords spiritual and temporal of this realm, and members of the House of Commons, together with other members of Her late Majesty’s Privy Council, and representatives of the realms and territories, aldermen, and citizens of London and others, do now hereby, with one voice and consent of tongue and heart, publish and proclaim that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful liege lord, Charles III, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and of his other realms and territories, King, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith, to whom we do acknowledge all faith and obedience with humble affection, beseeching God, by whom kings and queens do reign, to bless His Majesty with long and happy years to reign over us.’

He declared to the room ‘God Save the King’ and the packed room repeated the famous phrase.

After the proclamation was signed, Lord President of the Council Ms Mordaunt said: ‘Drafts of eight orders of council – one, ordering the proclamation to be printed and published in specialist supplements in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.

‘Two – directing the Lord Chancellor to affix the great seal to the proclamation proclaiming His Majesty, King Charles III.

‘Three – directing the Kings, Heralds and pursuivants of arms to attend at the court of St James to proclaim His Majesty King Charles III.

‘Four – directing the Lord Mayor the court of alderman and commons of London to attend at the Royal Exchange to proclaim His Majesty King Charles III.’

Making his declaration, the King said: ‘My lords, ladies and gentlemen, it is my most sorrowful duty to announce to you the death of my beloved mother the Queen.

‘I know how deeply you, the entire nation, and I think I may say the whole world, sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we’ve all suffered.

‘It is the greatest consolation to me to know the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers.

‘And that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss.’

Continuing to list the eight orders of Council, Ms Mordaunt said: ‘Five – directing His Majesty’s Secretary of State for Defence to give directions for the firing of guns at Hyde Park as soon as His Majesty is proclaimed.

‘Six – directing the constable of His Majesty’s Tower of London to give directions for the firing of guns at the Tower of London as soon as His Majesty is proclaimed.

‘Seven – directing His Majesty’s Secretary of State for Scotland to cause the proclamation for proclaiming His Majesty King Charles III to be published in Scotland.

‘Eight – directing the clerk of the Council to issue circular letters for causing His Majesty King Charles III to be proclaimed.’