A large crowd gathered on Sunday, September 11, at the Buttermarket in Rye to witness a proclamation ceremony, which was the Rye’s declaration of King Charles III's accession to the throne.
From the steps of the town hall the mayor of Rye, Cllr Andi Rivett read the official proclamation of the accession of HM King Charles III, accompanied by the black- shrouded civic maces and His Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant for East Sussex, Graham Peters.
"We have all been greatly saddened by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, after the longest reign in our nation’s history and a lifetime of selfless and devoted service to our country and to the Commonwealth.
"However, the crown never dies and, even as we mourn our late Queen, a new King has acceded to the throne and I have been charged by the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Boyce, with reading the following proclamation, issued by the accession council.
"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."
He said God Save the King and the crowd responded with God Save the King.
Then he gave three cheers for His Majesty the King! –
Hip, hip . . .hurrah!
Hip, hip . . . hurrah!
Hip, hip . . . hurrah!
The mayor and his entourage walked round to the town hall gardens where he laid a floral tribute. It was very poignant, as was the fact that the ceremonial maces were shrouded in black.
