King Charles will reportedly make a speech marking the late queen's centennial birthday on Tuesday, April 21
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Queen-Elizabeth-II-and-Prince-Charles-2022-040926-67ab52d6357e4bf9ae3a70cc7834e59c.jpg "Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 05, 2022 in London, England.")
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NEED TO KNOW
- King Charles will deliver a speech honoring Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy, marking what would have been her 100th birthday
- The King will also reportedly host a special reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the occasion
- The speech comes as King Charles and Queen Camilla are preparing to visit the United States for events commemorating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence
King Charles is sharing a special message in dedication to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, on her 100th birthday.
Charles, 77, will deliver a recorded speech commemorating Queen Elizabeth's life and legacy over her 70-year reign in celebration of her centennial birthday on Tuesday, April 21, the U.K. outlet The Mirror reported.
The king's speech honoring the late queen's legacy comes as he prepares to lead several events marking the monarch’s 100th birthday next week and renewing his vow of service, according to the outlet.
"His message will be one celebration of an incredible life well lived and also an opportunity for him to renew his vow of service to the nation and the Commonwealth, but also speak to the values that he stands by — where fairness and the well-being of others matter most,” a source told The Mirror.
The outlet reported that King Charles will also host a special reception at Buckingham Palace marking Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday. The event will be attended by senior members of the royal family, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
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King Charles’ celebration of Queen Elizabeth, who died on Sept. 8, 2022, come amid a difficult start to his reign following his cancer treatment, estranged relationship with his younger son Prince Harry and the attention surrounding his disgraced brother, the former Prince Andrew's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“The start to the King's reign has not been without its obvious troubles, but there has been much to celebrate as well,” the source continued. “He has been immensely positive in the face of adversity, continuing his cancer treatment while maintaining an incredible work rate."
"He has traveled extensively across the country and abroad, meeting two Popes, celebrating 50 years of the King's Trust (formerly the Prince's Trust) and pressing on with historic visits abroad,” added the insider.
PEOPLE has reached out to King Charles’ representative for comment.
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Charles and Queen Camilla will kick off the centennial celebrations of Queen Elizabeth on Monday, April 20, with a visit to the new exhibition Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style at the King’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace. The exhibition is the largest-ever exhibit of the late Queen's fashion, featuring 300 items from her wardrobe, and is on view until Oct. 18.
The King and Queen will then head to the United States for a series of events in Washington, D.C., New York City and Virginia, marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence from the United Kingdom.
