Posted on Sunday 11th September 2022
Chairman of Staffordshire County Council Paul Snape calls out "God save the King!" to the crowd assembled in Market Square, Stafford, to see a moment of history.
“God save the King!”
The voice of Coun Paul Snape, Chairman of Staffordshire County Council, cried out across the Market Square in Stafford; the first to speak after the formal proclamation of the accession of King Charles III to the throne.
The centuries-old tradition was held in Stafford at 1pm today before being repeated at other events across the county.
HM Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire Mr Ian Dudson CBE stood on the steps of Shire Hall to welcome the crowd before introducing the High Sheriff of Staffordshire Ben Robinson MBE DL, who had the honour of making the proclamation itself.
Mr Robinson said:
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. Given at St. James’s Palace this tenth day of September in the year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty-two.”
GOD SAVE THE KING”
After the crowd had responded to the call of ‘God save the King!’ from the Chairman of the County Council, the Deputy Mayor of Stafford Borough Council, Council Peter Jones, called for three cheers for King Charles.
Then, as the dignitaries filed from the Market Square, the crowd of more than a thousand spectators burst into applause before embarking on a spontaneous rendition of the national anthem.
Following strict protocol, the announcement was made across the country a day after first being made in London.
Alan White, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, was present at the ceremony in the centre of the county town.
He said:
It is remarkable to witness this event today and to feel the thread of history running through it, back to the days when Kings and Queens were absolute rulers and proclamations such as these could shape people’s lives.
For many of us Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was the only monarch we have ever known, so I found the cry of ‘God save the King!’ a quite moving moment as we recognise that while we mourn the past we must face the future.”
The Chairman of Staffordshire County Council Paul Snape said:
It was proud moment to stand in front of so many people and to say ‘God save the King!’ on behalf of the people of Staffordshire.”
Once HM the Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff had completed their duties in Stafford they left to repeat the formalities in Stoke-on-Trent.
Other repetitions of the proclamation were also conducted later in the afternoon by officials in Biddulph, Cannock, Cheadle, Leek, Lichfield, Newcastle and Tamworth.