Queen Elizabeth’s Son Charles Becomes King

Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, depart after visiting Bru Boru Cultural Centre in Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland, March 25, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, depart after visiting Bru Boru Cultural Centre in Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland, March 25, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Queen Elizabeth’s Son Charles Becomes King

Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, depart after visiting Bru Boru Cultural Centre in Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland, March 25, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, depart after visiting Bru Boru Cultural Centre in Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland, March 25, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son Charles, 73, automatically became king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand upon her death Thursday afternoon at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Prince Charles’ wife Camilla became Queen Consort.

The British monarchy’s rules state that “a new sovereign succeeds to the throne as soon as his or her predecessor dies.”

Within 24 hours of a monarch’s death, a new sovereign is proclaimed formally as soon as possible at St. James Palace in London by the “Accession Council.” However, it may be months or even longer before Charles’ formal coronation.

In Elizabeth’s case, her coronation came on June 2, 1953 -- 16 months after her accession on Feb. 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI, died.



Macron Meets with Families of 3 French Nationals Detained in Iran

A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
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Macron Meets with Families of 3 French Nationals Detained in Iran

A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)
A woman, holding a photo of French teacher Cécile Kohler, detained in Iran since May 2022 along with her partner Jacques Paris, takes part in a rally in Paris on 23 March, 2024, to ask for the release of French citizens held in Iran. (AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron met on Monday with the families of three French nationals detained in Iran, assuring that the authorities will pursue their cases, according to Noémie Kohler, the sister of Cécile, one of the detainees.

Macron met with the relatives of Cécile, her partner Jacques Paris, and Olivier Grondeau, a third Frenchman detained by Tehran, for about one and a half hour, Noémie told AFP.

“Macron provided us with a number of answers regarding the measures France is undertaking to secure the release of the detainees,” she said.

“The meeting shows us that the situation of our loved ones is being taken very seriously at the highest levels,” Noémie explained.

She added that the families of the three detainees understood that the Iranian authorities had not responded to the French proposals that were offered to them.

However, Cécile’s sister lamented the lack of “short-term prospects for release, which is very, very hard to endure.”

Cécile, a teacher of modern literature, was arrested on May 7, 2022, while traveling in Iran with her partner Jacques Paris, and charged with “espionage.”

Another French national, Olivier Grondeau, has also been detained in Iran since 2022.

On Jan. 31, Cécile’s family appealed to Macron on the 1,000th day of her detention in Iran.

On the same day, Macron denounced the “arbitrary and improper detention” of the French nationals. He said they were “hostages” and demanded their release.

In response, Iran rejected as “unconstructive” Macron's statements. It confirmed that “the decisions taken by our (judicial) system were in accordance with the law.”

Also last month, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged French nationals not to go to Iran until the hostages have been freed.

“The situation of our compatriots held hostage in Iran is quite simply unacceptable. They have been unjustly detained for several years, in unworthy conditions,” he said during the annual conference of French ambassadors in Paris.

In May 2023, Iran released French nationals Bernard Phelan and Benjamin Briere in a prisoner swap.