A ceremony was held in Grand Cayman on Sunday, 11 Sept., to mark the proclamation of the new sovereign, King Charles III.
The morning ceremony, outside Government House on West Bay Road, was attended by government leaders, dignitaries and other official guests, as well as scores of well-wishers and curious onlookers.
It came a day after His Majesty King Charles III was officially proclaimed Britain’s new monarch at a meeting of the Accession Council at St James’s Palace, London.
The sombre affair began with a parade contingent comprising of police, fire, prison and coast guard officers, as wells as members of the Cayman Islands regiment, Cadet Corps, and its marching band.
At the ceremony, Governor Martyn Roper read the proclamation of the new sovereign.
Governor Roper said, “I, Martyn Keith Roper, Governor of the Cayman Islands, do now hereby with one voice and consent of tongue and heart, publish and proclaim that 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, Great Britain 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.”
The proclamation was followed by the singing of God Save the King, a 21-gun salute and three cheers for His Majesty.
Speaking with Cayman Compass after the ceremony, Premier Wayne Panton said the proclamation of King Charles III was as important for people of Cayman as it is for the wider UK.
“It is now for us to continue to acknowledge and support King Charles III as our sovereign,” said Panton. “While it is a momentous occasion, it is the end of an era, I hope and I believe this will be the start of a new era.”
The premier’s comments were echoed by Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart, who told the Compass, “These are interesting times for us because none of us probably in this crowd today would have known a succession in the UK of any reality whatsoever.”
He added, “I thought this morning’s ceremony was very moving and very touching for all of us… and say, as I have several times, long live the King.”
King Charles III’s proclamation comes three days after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, whose funeral will be held on Monday, 19 Sept., which has been declared a public holiday.
Cayman and the wider UK have since entered 10 days of national mourning, during which numerous events have been cancelled or postponed.
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