that bbc did make that comment in that bbc documentary on his 70th birthday, when he was directly asked, are you going to be a meddling monarch? that has often been the fear expressed by some politicians, even. and he made it clear that no, "i am not stupid, i do realise this is a differentjob with different requirements". you can assume that he has reconciled himself in his mind to the different requirements of this role that we see him speeding towards now. indeed, making quick progress towards the centre of london. the crowds are still very large outside buckingham palace. the flowers being laid, still people continue to arrive there to pay tribute. the flag is at half mast. the new king they're making very rapid progress towards the centre of the city. and, as far as the other members of the

royalfamily, who we know as far as the other members of the royal family, who we know rushed to balmoral to be at the queen �*s bedside. prince william is making his way back and prince harry has returned. and the other of the queen �*s children are likely to return soon as well. 's children are likely to return soon as well.— 's children are likely to return soon as well. yes, the princess ro al soon as well. yes, the princess royal was _ soon as well. yes, the princess royal was already _ soon as well. yes, the princess royal was already in _ soon as well. yes, the princess royal was already in scotland. | soon as well. yes, the princess i royal was already in scotland. we know of her love of scotland, staying at balmoral. clearly they will return. i don't know what the arrangements are for the others. we know, as you say, that harry left quite early this morning and it sounds as though he has made his own separate arrangements for travel back to london. and as sarah campbell said a few moments ago, william left a short time ago and is returning to london possibly by a commercialflight, we don't returning to london possibly by a commercial flight, we don't know. and the duke of york, well we don't know his arrangements and we probably won't be told, since as we know he is not a working member of

the royal family. know he is not a working member of the royalfamily. andy countess know he is not a working member of the royal family. andy countess of wessex, of course, very close to the queen. not one of her children, her daughter—in—law. but there was a real bond between the queen and sophie wessex. she fitted very completely and successfully into the family. one of the many clues we had yesterday afternoon was when we were sitting here, seeing the photographs of those family members arriving at balmoral, and i must say, the look on herface really indicated balmoral, and i must say, the look on her face really indicated that yes, it indicated what was happening and what their feelings were. yes, we assume that she and her husband, the earl of wessex, are still at balmoral. the earl of wessex, are still at balmoral-— the earl of wessex, are still at balmoral. �* ' , ., balmoral. and so different, you soke balmoral. and so different, you spoke earlier— balmoral. and so different, you spoke earlier about _ balmoral. and so different, you spoke earlier about the - balmoral. and so different, you | spoke earlier about the moment balmoral. and so different, you - spoke earlier about the moment that elizabeth, then princess elizabeth, she went to kenya and came back as

clean, and she was so young. there was the shock of the moment, her father had died very suddenly. king charles, 73 years old, he has known this moment is coming for a very long time. but there is still that palpable sense of shock in the nation, how people were almost holding their breaths yesterday, and a real sense of disbelief, in a sense, that the queen has actually gone. borisjohnson talking about how you felt that she was eternal, that she would live on. it how you felt that she was eternal, that she would live on.— that she would live on. it still feels quite — that she would live on. it still feels quite unreal, _ that she would live on. it still feels quite unreal, doesn't i that she would live on. it still| feels quite unreal, doesn't it? that she would live on. it still - feels quite unreal, doesn't it? this is a moment, of course, that we have thought about, that charles has thought about, that charles has thought about, that charles has thought about, and now it has happened. now it is reality. the queen has passed away. the regina is over, and a new —— reign is

beginning. charles will set out. i don't think he will set out how he intends to reign because we must assume, and i'm sure he will reign in the same fundamental style because that is what the constitution requires of the monarch stopped not to be involved in politics and all of the rest of it. but he must lead the nation, he must now adopt that head of the nation role at this time where, as we were saying yesterday, many people will feel unsettled and disorientated, and they will be feeling that personal loss. i was struck by one of the notes that had been left at balmoral, as sarah campbell was telling us stop "a calming figure throughout my life", someone wrote on a card at balmoral. well, that calming figure has gone. so she needs to be replaced by a figure who

can demonstrate that he, too, is capable of calming and reassuring, and being the focus for unity that is so essential, which is such a fundamental part of what the monarchy does, to be that focus for reassurance and unity and stability. which was very much evident during the pandemic, when people were adrift and didn't know what was happening. strange times and nothing was normal, and the queen addressed the nation and said, "we will meet again". it the nation and said, "we will meet auain'. , ., ., ., the nation and said, "we will meet auain'. , ., ._, , again". it is to do and say things that politicians _ again". it is to do and say things that politicians can't. _ again". it is to do and say things that politicians can't. it - again". it is to do and say things that politicians can't. it is - again". it is to do and say things that politicians can't. it is to - that politicians can't. it is to bring that resonance that is beyond, not the ability, but what is the right word? that is beyond the remit, beyond the force, the power almost, of politicians. that if you have the monarch saying and doing things, there is a greaterforce. there is a greater residence because

they speak so rarely, it is unusual so it has a power that does not attach to statements by politicians who we hear all the time. and i think this whole episode will perhaps underline the strengths of a monarchy. it is only when you lose something that you really appreciate its value. well, we have not lost the monarchy, but we have lost the previous monarchy. i suppose for 70 years, the monarchy has been so closely identified with elizabeth that it closely identified with elizabeth thatitis closely identified with elizabeth that it is going to take a little bit of adjustment to understand that the crown has passed, and it is the system. it is not so much of the individual, it is the institution that matters here, and it is the institution of which charles is now becoming the personification, and it is that institution, the crown, to which all the most powerful organs of the state over their allegiance.

that again is one of the strengths of having a constitutional monarchy, the crown, this figure above politics to whom the army, the courts, thejudiciary, the civil servant, the government, the police, over allegiance. servant, the government, the police, overallegiance. it servant, the government, the police, over allegiance. it is important to separate the two. the institution from the individual. we have a new individual now taking over as the embodiment of the crown. for 70 years, the strengths of the institution have been matched by the strength of the individual. we have a new individual there, who has got to demonstrate that he also has the strength of character, the ability to reassure, the ability to do all of those things that we took for granted at the queen was able to do, and did time and again.— and did time and again. although stranael , and did time and again. although strangely. we _ and did time and again. although strangely, we know _ and did time and again. although strangely, we know him - and did time and again. although strangely, we know him so - and did time and again. although strangely, we know him so much| strangely, we know him so much better than we knew the queen when she became queen. prince charles, as

he was then, we have heard him speak, he has been very public for so many decades now.— speak, he has been very public for so many decades now. indeed, and erha -s so many decades now. indeed, and perhaps that _ so many decades now. indeed, and perhaps that is _ so many decades now. indeed, and perhaps that is part _ so many decades now. indeed, and perhaps that is part of _ so many decades now. indeed, and perhaps that is part of the - so many decades now. indeed, and| perhaps that is part of the problem, the challenge that he faces. we almost have seen too much of him. we have encountered his interventions on a number of different subjects, and it is that, of course, that has given rise to some of the questions about his ability to transition to the role as monarch. we have followed his life, his domestic life, the difficulties there, and there are some people still who have reservations about the queen consort, but this is not the moment to dwell on that. he is not an unknown quantity by any means, but he is unknown in this new role, that as of yesterday afternoon, he has now taken on. and that is a role that he has had so long to think

about. decades after decades. but he has been punctilious in ever saying anything. he has never publicly anticipated this moment. he regarded it as being most indiscreet and disrespectful to his mother to ever say anything about the moment when he became king, and you can understand that. the only reference he has made was that reference in the documentary, where he made it clear that he would not intervene in the same way that he did understand it was a different role. but we have no other information, no other facts, no other anything on the record from him, talking about how he intends to reign as king. and he intends to reign as king. and what about _ he intends to reign as king. and what about the _ he intends to reign as king. and what about the impact on other senior members of the royal family? prince william, for example. you have mentioned already a change of title. prince william is also now the duke of cornwall, am i right? no. ., , the the duke of cornwall, am i right? no._ the title _ the duke of cornwall, am i right? no._ the title has - the duke of cornwall, am i right? i no._ the title has moved. no. that is... the title has moved. charles was — no. that is... the title has moved. charles was duke _ no. that is... the title has moved. charles was duke of _ no. that is... the title has moved. charles was duke of cornwall. - no. that is... the title has moved. charles was duke of cornwall. he l no. that is... the title has moved. | charles was duke of cornwall. he is duke of cambridge and will remain

the duke of cambridge. it is simpler just to call him prince william. but i would imagine, just to call him prince william. but iwould imagine, it just to call him prince william. but i would imagine, it is custom and practice for the heir to the throne and he is now first in line to the throne, so it is a more senior role for him, but he and his father had been drawn together, i think, by some of the difficulties that have been caused by prince harry and prince andrew. that was happening an awful lot, vertically discussing the family issues. the queen, charles and william. well, it is now charles and william. well, it is now charles and william. well, it is now charles and william. that relationship has not always been difficult, and what relationship between father and son is always smooth. but i think william has come to appreciate his father much, much more in recent years. i think perhaps william has come to understand some of the

pressures that charles has faced a different point