King Charles III: Crawley residents witness historic ceremony as Mayor reads out Proclamation of Accession - video

Mayor Jilly Hart read the Proclamation of Accession at 2pm following the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, formally declaring the accession of the new sovereign, King Charles III.

The proclamation was first be read first from the balcony at St James Palace above Friary Court by the Garter King of Arms (principal advisor to the monarch on matters of ceremony and heraldry) yesterday (Saturday, September 10).

The Garter King of Arms then proceeded to make the proclamation at other London locations before it filtered out across the country.

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The Crawley Mayor was joined on the Town Hall balcony by Henry Smith MP, Crawley Borough Council leader Michael Jones, cllr Duncan Jones, leader of the Conservative Party in Crawley, deputy Mayor Tahira Rana and chief executive Natalie Brahma-Pearl. They all then signed two copies of the Proclamation.

Mayor Mrs Hart said: “It was an honour and a privilege to be the first person in 73 years to read that and I was proud to do it and proud to be part of it.

“When I heard the new on Thursday, it was a shock, disbelief. Like so many people in the country, she is the only monarch we have ever known.

“She had a great affinity with Crawley, she came to visit us many times and I saw her a couple of times. When she visited Queens Square in 2006 I remember taking my mum, and she said’Isn’t she tiny!’.”

Her Majesty the Queen visited Crawley a number of times during her reign – in 1950 (as Princess Elizabeth), 1958, 1969, 1982, 1988 and 2006.

Cllr Michael Jones, leader of Crawley Borough Council, commented on the historic nature of the ceremony. “There were not many of us around the last time this happened,” he said. “It’s a joyful occasion tinged with sadness because it has involved the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

"Queen Elizabeth visited Crawley on a rather large number of occasions, most recently in 2006. She has a long connection in the town with Queens Square dedicated to her.

"We are proud of our royal connections and there will be many people in Crawley who consider the Royal Family as part of their life.

Former Mayor and councillor Brian Quinn was the ceremony with his wife Sue. He said: “I have been in Crawley for 55 years and I have always recognised the Monarchy.

"On Christmas Day, with her message, I always felt she was talking to me personally.”

Were you there when the Queen visited Crawley in 2006? 40 pictures of Her Majesty's visit to Thomas Bennett School, Queen's Square and County Mall

Sue met Queen Elizabeth II in 2006. said: “I am from an old Crawley family so I have seen Crawley change quite a lot over the years, my father had a shop in the High Street.

"I was very fortunate to meet the Queen in 2006. I was manager of Relate in West Sussex for 36 years and I was presented to her at Thomas Bennett Community College.

"She asked me what charity I represented and I said ‘Relate’ and she asked what they do. I told her we helped people who had difficult relationships and problems and she said ‘well there’s a lot of those about aren’t there?’.

"She has always been there. She is like the grandmother to whole nation.”

A book of condolence is available to sign in the Town Hall foyer from 9am-4pm during the period of national mourning, excluding the weekends.

Additional books of condolence are available to sign at K2 leisure centre and The Hawth.