King Charles III Pays Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in Heartfelt Speech

LONDON—King Charles III spent his first day as monarch on Friday reaching out to the British public, unexpectedly meeting mourners in front of Buckingham Palace and delivering a heartfelt address to the nation, paying tribute to his mother and pledging to serve the country for the rest of his life.

In his first address to the nation as king, King Charles teared up as he said farewell to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the country’s longest-serving monarch who died Thursday in Scotland.