King Charles remembers his ‘darling mama’ to mark her 100th birthday – National

King Charles III paid tribute to his “darling mama,” Queen Elizabeth II, in a televised address Tuesday marking what would have been her 100th birthday.

Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, was born on April 21, 1926, and assumed the throne at the age of 25 in 1952, where she remained for over 70 years until her death at the age of 96 in September 2022.

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How King Charles plans to honour Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday

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During his speech, Charles credited his mother for her long-standing cultural and social influence and the enduring impact of her service.

“Her near century was one of remarkable change. And yet, through each passing decade, through every transformation, she remained constant, steadfast and wholly devoted to the people she served,” The King said.

“Millions will remember her for moments of national significance, many others for a fleeting personal encounter, a smile, a kind word that lifted spirits, or for that marvellous twinkle of the eye when sharing a marmalade sandwich with Paddington Bear in the final months of her life,” he continued.

Charles voiced that current world events would likely have deeply troubled his mother, but that he takes “heart from her belief that goodness will always prevail and that a brighter dawn is never far from the horizon.”

He credited her commitment to duty as entrenched from a young age, citing her first public broadcast at 14, in which she said, “We can each play our part to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place.”

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“It is a belief which I share with all my heart,” Charles added, before encouraging people to see what would have been her 100th birthday as an opportunity to follow his mother’s example.

“We make today not the marking of a milestone felt in absence, but the celebration of a life well lived and a legacy of hope as we strive together towards a better, happier tomorrow,” he said.

“God bless you, darling mama. You remain forever in our hearts and prayers,” Charles concluded.

Commemorative celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday are being held across London.

Senior royals visited the British Museum to view the final design for a national memorial to Queen Elizabeth, Town and Country magazine reported Tuesday, while the King’s Gallery unveiled its new exhibition, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, which opened at Buckingham Palace on April 10 to mark her centenary.

The King and Queen Camilla also hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace with other members of the royal family, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, who shared a carousel of images on their official Instagram page of Elizabeth throughout her life with the caption, “Remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 100th anniversary of her birth. Inspiring generations through a lifetime of duty.”

Meanwhile, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter, officially opened the Queen Elizabeth II Garden at Regent’s Park.

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