STORY: The death of 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth on Thursday (September 8) after 70 years on the throne set in train long-established and highly choreographed plans for days of national mourning and a state funeral that will be held in just over a week.

Charles, 73, immediately succeeded his mother but the Accession Council met on Saturday to proclaim him king, with his son and heir William, wife Camilla and Britain's new prime minister, Liz Truss, among those to sign the proclamation.