King Charles III officially declared Head of State of Solomon Islands

King Charles III was officially declared the Head of State for Solomon Islands following his Accension to the Throne on Friday 8 September 2022.

His Excellency the Governor General Sir David Vunagi on Monday 12 September read to the nation the Proclamation from Buckingham Palace on the Accension to the Throne of His Majesty King Charles III.

With that Declaration His Majesty King Charles III is officially the Head of State for Solomon Islands.

The Royal Protocol on the Proclamation of the King requires that after the Governor General reads the Proclamation on Monday 12th September, at 10.00 am, all flags will fly full mast until 1pm the following day on Tuesday 13th September. After 1 pm on Tuesday 13th September, all flags will return to half-mast until after burial on Monday 19th September.

His Excellency the Governor General will represent Solomon Islands at the official funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London on 19 September 2022. Further details about the Governor General’s travel schedule will be announced in due course.

The proclamation reads “Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of Blessed and Glorious Memory, by whose Decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George:

“We, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm and Members of the House of Commons, together with other members of Her late Majesty’s Privy Council and representatives of the Realms and Territories, Aldermen and Citizens of London, and others, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now, by the Death of our late Sovereign of Happy Memory, become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories, King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom we do acknowledge all Faith and Obedience with humble Affection; beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign to bless His Majesty with long and happy Years to reign over us,” the proclamation reads.

King Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. He acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022 upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. He was the longest-serving heir apparent in British history and is the oldest person to assume the throne at age 73.

King Charles III was born in Buckingham Palace as the first child of then-Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I.

-GCU