King Charles III is New Zealand’s new head of state following the death in recent hours of Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1926 – 2022
The longest serving British monarch and head of state for New Zealand, Queen Elizabeth II has died. The official notice has been fixed to the railings at Buckingham Palace and flags have been lowered. The initial statement from Buckingham Palace simply read: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.” The news is leading all major media outlets across the Western world and in New Zealand this morning. This was the official announcement from the BBC which was followed by “God Save the Queen”. Prince Charles is now King, with confirmation that he will be King Charles III arriving this morning. The new King has issued a statement, describing the death of his mother as “the greatest sadness”.
‘London Bridge is down’
The plan for what happens now is known as “London Bridge”. It is very eerie re-reading this this morning, but the Guardian published the full details of this plan in 2017. “The Queen’s family and her majesty’s doctors will be in attendance.” “Civil servants will say “London Bridge is down” on secure lines”. It has been planned for many years, every detail accounted for and playing out now, in real time. Tributes and obituaries have been prepared. The BBC and the Guardian both have detailed histories and recountings of her long and extraordinary life. The Herald, RNZ, TVNZ, Newshub and Stuff are all running special live coverage.
Statement from Buckingham Palace about Queen’s health signalled it was serious
The BBC interrupted its normal broadcast just after 12.30pm (BST) following a statement from Buckingham Palace saying the Queen was under medical supervision. The Palace is not prone to sharing details about the Queen’s health and the statement was read as a sign things were serious. Presenter Huw Edwards was dressed in a dark suit and black tie, in keeping with the broadcaster’s on-air dress code when a member of the royal family dies. The Queen’s family all travelled to Balmoral and were there when she died. The Guardian has an outline of what we can expect in Britain over the next ten days.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern expresses deep sadness
Jacinda Ardern’s statement expressed New Zealanders’ deep sadness at the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Ardern described Her Majesty as a monarch with an unwavering sense of duty. The Queen visited New Zealand 10 times during her reign, her most recent visit in 2002. On her 21st birthday in 1947, the Queen, Princess Elizabeth at the time, made a radio broadcast where she outlined what will no doubt be heralded as the defining characteristic of her reign – a life of service. “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”.