Former prime minister wears a navy suit and light-blue shirt for the sombre meeting of the Accession Council
David Cameron stood out for not wearing a black suit to King Charles III’s proclamation ceremony.
The former prime minister wore a navy suit and light-blue shirt for the sombre meeting of the Accession Council, despite the nation being in a period of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday aged 96.
Most attendees were wearing black suits with white shirts, which prompted Britons watching the ceremony from home to question why Mr Cameron was the outlier.
One person wrote on social media: “Who let him turn up wearing blue?” Another said: “Why’s David Cameron the only one in blue?”
King Charles III paid tribute to the reign of the late Queen, “unequalled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion”, as he was formally declared the nation’s new monarch.
The King spoke movingly about his mother and the grief his family is experiencing, but said the “sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers” had been the “greatest consolation”.
Watched by the Queen, the new Prince of Wales and more than 200 privy counsellors – including six former prime ministers – the King pledged himself to the task now before him and the “heavy responsibilities of sovereignty”.
Charles began by discharging the “sorrowful duty” of announcing the death of his “beloved mother”, and told the council: “I know how deeply you, the entire nation – and I think I may say the whole world – sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we have all suffered.
“It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers and that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss.”
Charles spoke of the late Queen’s “selfless service”, adding: “My mother’s reign was unequalled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion. Even as we grieve, we give thanks for this most faithful life.”
More than 200 privy councillors – a group of mostly senior politicians past and present, some members of the monarchy and other national figures – were present to hear the Clerk of the Council read the Accession Proclamation.
Among them were ex-prime ministers Sir John Major, Sir Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson; cabinet members; and former archbishops of Canterbury and York. Everyone was standing, a convention believed to have been established by Queen Victoria to keep such meetings short.
The current premier Liz Truss was part of the proceedings and stood at the head of the council with Camilla, William, Archbishop of York Justin Welby and other figures as the clerk read the proclamation.
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