Immediately after The Queen 's death on Thursday afternoon, Prince Charles became King Charles III. Under the Royal Family 's rules of accession, the Crown passed from his late mother to her 73-year-old son, and he will formally be proclaimed King on Saturday morning at 10am.
But King Charles's coronation, where he will take the oath and the Crown will be placed on his head by the Archbishop of Canterbury, is not expected to take place for some time.
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II occurred almost 16 months after she became Queen following the death of her father, George VI, to allow for a period of national mourning and for preparations to be made.
Plans for the coronation of the new King are assigned the codename Operation Golden Orb, although the Palace reportedly does not discuss plans for the coronation of a new monarch while the current incumbent is still alive as a matter of respect.