King's 'quiet reflection' on third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's death

THE King will remember his mother Queen Elizabeth II privately in Scotland today on the third anniversary of her death.

- By Emily Ferguson Royal Editor

As gun salutes fire and abbey bells ring around the UK to mark three years since his accession, Charles will continue the tradition of spending the day in Aberdeenshire, where the Queen passed away after 70 years on the throne.

The King, who has split the summer between Balmoral and his nearby Birkhall residence, will use the day as a moment for quiet reflection. Accession Day is a poignant time for the King as it marks both the start of his reign and the loss of his beloved mother.

The late Queen always marked her Accession Day at Sandringham, the Norfolk estate where her father died in 1952. And now Charles is following that tradition by staying at Balmoral Castle, where his mother passed away on September 8, 2022.

He will not be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who plan to mark the day in their own way in Windsor. While he and Queen Camilla will remember the indomitable spirit of the UK's longest-serving monarch, they will also contemplate how his own legacy is unfolding.