King Charles marks second anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death with poignant Balmoral service
King Charles marked the second anniversary of the death of his beloved late mother Queen Elizabeth II with a touching church service at Balmoral.
The 75-year-old monarch on Sunday visited Crathie Kirk – a small church on the Balmoral estate which was held in special esteem by the late monarch – accompanied by his wife Queen Camilla.
The two attended a memorial service held in honour of the King’s late mother, who died on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96, at Balmoral.
The date is doubly symbolic for Charles, as it also marks the second anniversary of his accession to the throne.
A small crowd of royalists gathered outside the church, hoping to catch a glimpse of the king and queen when they arrived.
The couple, who got married in 2005, entered the gathering sitting in the rear seat of a maroon coloured estate Bentley car.
For the occasion Charles chose a Charcot grey jacket with a pink floral lapel.
Camilla wore a green jacket with red and green tartan lapels. She completed her look with a green hat with a feather.
The service was led by the Rev. Kenneth MacKenzie, who served the late Queen Elizabeth II in her final days.
Guest preacher at the service, the Rt Rev Dr Shaw Patterson, described the anniversary as “particularly important and poignant for the royal family”.
After the service, he told how Charles was “very well known and well liked” in the local community around Balmoral and was “very much a part of it” – just like the late Queen.
“It was a privilege to preach to the congregation of Crathie Kirk which included King Charles III and members of the Royal Family,” he said during the service.
“This weekend is particularly important and poignant for the Royal Family, indeed for all of us in Scotland, across the UK and the Commonwealth, as 8 September marks the second anniversary of the death of The Queen and of Her Majesty’s accession to the Throne.”
Tributes were paid to the late Queen on Sunday, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer paying tribute to her “70 glorious years of reign”.
The royal family’s official X account also paid tribute, sharing a photo of the late queen at a Buckingham Palace garden party in 2019.
The post read, “Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, 1926-2022”.
Charles is spending the summer holidays at his royal residence in the Scottish Highlands – where his mother spent her final days.
The King has faced challenges in his second year as monarch after news of his cancer diagnosis in February, and the Princess of Wales was also diagnosed with cancer the following month.
After taking a break from royal duties to focus on his treatment, Charles returned to public duties in April.
