Queen Elizabeth II, the country’s longest-reigning monarch who wore the crown for an extraordinary 70 years, passed away in her Platinum Jubilee year, on September 8 2022 while holidaying at her beloved Balmoral. She was 96.
Friday marks not only one year since her death, but also one year since King Charles ascended to the throne, making it a particularly emotional day for His Majesty.
So far the King has echoed many of his mother’s traditions, including spending weeks in the late summer and early autumn at Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands.
This means the King and Queen Camilla will be at the castle where Queen Elizabeth died on the anniversary of her death, although it is not thought they will officially mark the day with a public ceremony.
Here Express.co.uk takes a look at how King Charles will commemorate this most important of anniversaries for him and the monarchy.
On the day itself Buckingham Palace have confirmed the King and Queen Consort will mark the occasion “quietly and privately”, as they spend the first couple of weeks in September at Balmoral.
The Queen’s Scottish home was one of her absolute favourite places, and it is still the Firm’s favoured location for a relaxing and peaceful holiday in spectacular surroundings.
While at Balmoral Charles and Camilla prefer to stay at Birkhall, their private residence on the estate, where they enjoy tending the gardens and getting out and about in nature.
It is thought they may hold a private ceremony in memory of Her Late Majesty, similarly to how the Queen would mark the death of her own father King George VI on February 6 each year.
Elizabeth would spend the anniversary of her father’s death each year at Sandringham, where he died, in privacy and quiet contemplation.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK! magazine that the King is likely to find “great solace” in mirroring his mother’s approach to grief and remembrance.
She said: “I think the King has shown that he wants to emulate his mother in many ways – and that includes her tradition of marking the anniversary of King George VI’s death away from the public gaze. She always spent the day privately at Sandringham.
“Charles paid the most handsome tribute to the late Queen at the time of her death. She was, he said, an inspiration and example to the whole family. So he has already eloquently said his piece and now he will follow her example by marking the anniversary in the tranquility of the Balmoral estate.”
She added: “He finds great solace walking among the hills of Scotland, and that’s probably what he’ll do.
“The fact that he has asked William and Catherine to lead a public tribute speaks volumes about how much he trusts and relies on them to support him in all that he now has to do.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales will be in St David’s on the day leading public tributes at the cathedral, as sources told the Mirror that William will pay homage to his grandmother’s life and legacy, as well as “looking to the future”.
However he will not directly address the cathedral’s congregation.
A source said: “It will be an emotional day for all the Royal Family, as well as many people across Britain, recognising this date. But of course for others it will be just another day and life goes on.”
