Prince William tells King Charles the late Queen Elizabeth would be ‘proud’
By Jack Guy and Niamh Kennedy, CNN
Prince William paid tribute to his “Pa” King Charles III at the coronation concert on Sunday, saying “we are all so proud of you” as he evoked the memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
“I know she is up there fondly keeping an eye on us and she would be a very proud mother,” said the Prince of Wales at the event held on the grounds of Windsor Castle. He added that his grandmother had called coronations a “declaration of our hopes for the future.”
The coronation concert capped a day of street parties and community lunch events across the UK in celebration of King Charles III.
The concert line-up was certainly fit for a King, featuring global superstars, classical music maestros and an eclectic mix of celebrity faces, from Tom Cruise to “The Muppets'” very own Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.
William kicked off his speech on a humorous note, making a promise to the crowd that, unlike singer Lionel Richie, who performed at the event, he wouldn’t “go on all night long” with his address.
Instead, William said he simply wanted to “say a few words about my father and why I believe this weekend is so important.”
He went on to pay a heartfelt tribute to the King, outlining his commitment to service over the years.
“For all that celebrations are magnificent, at the heart of the pageantry is a simple message: Service. My father’s first words on entering Westminster Abbey yesterday were a pledge of service,” Prince William remarked.
“It was a pledge to continue to serve. Because for over 50 years, in every corner of the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world, he [King Charles] has dedicated himself to serve others, both current and future generations, and those whose memory must not be neglected,” the prince continued.
William highlighted the King’s commitment to environmental causes, saying the King “warned us of the risks to our planet’s health long before it was an everyday issue.”
He also commended the King’s charitable contributions through his foundation, the Prince’s Trust, which William said “has supported over a million young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, to realize their ambitions.”
“Pa, we are all so proud of you,” the prince said, addressing the King directly.
Prince William wrapped up his brief speech by thanking the “millions of people who serve in the forces, in classrooms, hospital wards and local communities,” giving his own pledge to “serve [them] all.”
King Charles III was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday, and well-wishers packed the streets of the British capital.
After the service, the King and selected members of the royal family made the customary appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony, but a flypast of military aircraft was scaled back due to bad weather.
Police arrested dozens of people during the coronation, after controversially promising a “robust” approach to protesters.
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