10/09/22

King Charles and the Queen Consort are to pay their first official visit to Cardiff since the death of HM The Queen, on Friday, September 16.

The visit will be the third of the couple's official engagements following their attendance at ceremonies in Belfast and Edinburgh.

The Accession visit to Cardiff will comprise a service of prayer and reflection at Llandaff Cathedral, attended by senior faith leaders from communities across Cardiff. The Royal couple are due to arrive at Llandaff Cathedral before visiting the Senedd to receive a Motion of Condolence.

This will be followed by a reception at Cardiff Castle which will include a private audience with the King for the First Minister and the Presiding Officer of the Senedd, Elin Jones.

The public are welcome to gather in the castle grounds and it is expected the King and Queen Consort will meet the public after the Castle reception. Space is limited and entry will be restricted to around the first 2,000 people to arrive.

The ceremony comes after Cardiff has played a key role in Wales' response to HM The Queen's death, announced last Thursday evening.

Yesterday, at 1pm in Cardiff Castle, the 104^thRegiment fired a 96-gun salute - representing every year of Her Majesty's life - and at 2pm the Rt Hon Lord Mayor of Cardiff Cllr Graham Hinchey, and the Council leader, Cllr Huw Thomas, opened books of condolence at City Hall. These will remain open for the public from 9am-5pm daily, until 5pm on the day of the State Funeral. An online book of condolence is available atwww.Royal.UK

Tomorrow, the Castle plays host to the Proclamation of the new sovereign when King Charles is formally announced in Wales as the new monarch. You can read more about that here

Floral tributes in memory of The Queen can be placed on the lawn areas either side of City Hall's main entrance in Cardiff, between 9am and 5pm.

Flags on Council buildings returned to full-mast at 11am today, Saturday September 10, to coincide with the Reading of the Principal Proclamation of the new monarch in London and a 21-gun Royal Salute at Cardiff Castle at 11am.

Flags return to half-mast at 1pm tomorrow, Sunday, September 11, after the Proclamation in Cardiff.