ROYALSKing Charles II Greeted With A Kiss Upon Arriving At Buckingham Palace
Sept. 9 2022, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
God Save The King!
Just one day after ascending to the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III has finally returned to Buckingham Palace.
On Friday, August 9, His Majesty arrived alongside the new Queen Consort, Camilla Parker Bowles, at the Royal Family's London residence, where the couple was greeted by a crowd of supportive citizens.
Amid cheers of “God Save The King,” the newly altered national anthem of Britain and other British-ruled regions, mourners offered handshakes and well wishes as condolences to the grieving King.
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A few others in the crowd, however, seemingly crossed the line when it came to their physical affection — namely Jenny Assiminios, who quickly went viral after she gave the British ruler a kiss on the cheek.
“I couldn’t believe it and I said to him, ‘may I kiss you?’ And he said, ‘well, yes.’ So I grabbed him, and I’m very happy,” the visitor recalled of the moment, adding that the ruler "looked sad,” and that kissing him had “never crossed my mind” before the encounter. “He’s lovely, he’s perfect,” she continued.
Following these energetic introductions, the monarch’s trip to the palace — his first as King — took on a more somber note after walking towards the famed gates, where mourners had left flowers, flags and other tokens of remembrance for The Queen.
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Shortly after seeing the outpouring of love for his late mother, the ruler offered a heartfelt address, detailing his own grief.
“Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived, a promise with destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing,” he said. “That promise of life-long service, I renew to you all today.”
That promise, it seems, is the Queen’s record-breaking 70 years on the throne.
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“She made sacrifices for duty,” the King said, adding that “her dedication and devotion was sovereign, never wavered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.”
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“In her life of service, we saw that abiding love of tradition, together with that fearless embrace of progress, which makes us great as a nation,” he continued. “The affection, admiration, and respect she inspired became the hallmark of her reign. And, as every member of my family can testify, she combined these qualities with warmth, humor, and an unerring ability always to see the best in people.”
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