King Charles honors Queen Elizabeth on the first anniversary of her death

King Charles III and the royal family are remembering Queen Elizabeth II on the first anniversary of her death.

Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, died peacefully at Balmoral Castle, her beloved Scottish estate, on Sept. 8, 2022. She was 96, as reported by the Deseret News.

King Charles and his wife, Camilla, were crowned king and queen of the United Kingdom during a coronation ceremony in May. At 74 years old, he is the oldest monarch to ever take the British throne.

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Tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II

Charles paid tribute to his late mother in a short audio message shared on the Royal Family Instagram. He also shared his gratitude for the support he has been given throughout his first year as monarch.

“In marking the first anniversary of her late majesty’s death and my accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us,” Charles said in a statement, per the Royal Family Instagram.

“I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during this year as we do our utmost to be of service to you all,” the statement continued, with a rare photo of the late queen.

Charles is currently at Balmoral and has spent the day keeping out of the public eye apart from a brief appearance at a remembrance ceremony at a nearby church where the late queen worshipped, Fox News reported. Queen Elizabeth was known to spend her ascension day in private as well. She traditionally spent the day at the Sandringham House, where her father, King George VI, died in his sleep in 1952.

The Prince and Princess of Wales also honored the late queen with a tribute on Instagram.

“Today we remember the extraordinary life and legacy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth. We all miss you,” Prince William and Kate Middleton shared alongside an array of photos.

Prince Harry was seen at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, where the queen is buried, Reuters reported. He left his California home for Britain to attend the WellChild awards in London, per the Royal Family.

There were gun salutes and tolling bells in London and across the United Kingdom, per The Associated Press. Military units fired salutes at the Tower of London and Green Park to commemorate Charles’ accession.

“With the perspective of a year, the scale of her late majesty’s service only seems greater,” said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, per Reuters. “Her devotion to the nations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth only seems deeper. And our gratitude for such an extraordinary life of duty and dedication, only continues to grow.”