King Charles III’s son William, the new Prince of Wales, has told the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, he will serve the country “with humility and great respect.”

William was given the title when his father, the previous Prince of Wales, ascended to the throne following the death Thursday of Queen Elizabeth II.

William told Drakeford that he and his wife Catherine have a “deep affection for Wales, having made their first family home in Anglesey, including during the earliest months of Prince George’s life.”

He said the couple would travel to Wales “very soon” and want “to do their part to support the aspirations of the Welsh people and to shine a spotlight on both the challenges and opportunities in front of them.”

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BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a message of congratulation to Britain's King Charles III on his accession to the throne, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday.

“I am willing to work with King Charles III to enhance mutual understanding and friendship ... and strengthen communication on global issues, so as to benefit the two countries,” Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.

The Chinese president also commemorated the 50th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations. The message comes amid strained relations over trade, human rights and China’s crackdown on the democratic opposition in the former British colony of Hong Kong.

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King Charles III has been formally proclaimed the monarch in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The moves Sunday in the rest of the United Kingdom came a day after the same proclamation was made in London at a pomp-filled accession ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism.

In Belfast, bells chimed and a bugler played before the proclamation was read. It was followed by a 21-gun salute and a military band playing the anthem, “God Save the King." In Wales, a regimental mascot goat accompanied the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Welsh regiment at the ceremony at Cardiff Castle.

Earlier, proclamations were held in other parts of the Commonwealth — the group of former British Empire colonies — including Australia and New Zealand.

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ABERDEEN, Scotland — Mourners are quietly paying tribute as a hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin passes through the Scottish countryside on a final journey back to London.

Crowds are lining the streets Sunday and some have tossed flowers as the hearse passes through villages and towns a six-hour road journey to Edinburgh. The queen died Thursday at her beloved summer estate Balmoral Castle.

The late queen’s coffin was draped in the Royal Standard for Scotland and topped with a wreath made of flowers from Balmoral, including sweet peas, one of the queen’s favorites.

The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, tweeted that “as she makes her journey to Edinburgh, Scotland will pay tribute to an extraordinary woman.”

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LONDON — King Charles III will attend a reception Sunday with commissioners from Commonwealth nations.

The commissions maintain and develop relationships with the group of countries that grapple with affection for the queen and lingering bitterness over their own colonial legacies.

Charles became king after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died Thursday at her summer retreat in Scotland. Her coffin has left her beloved Balmoral Castle on Sunday for a six-hour road journey to Edinburgh, with people lining the streets in some places to pay their respects.

The king will meet with the secretary-general of the Commonwealth at Buckingham Palace before a reception with the foreign secretary and commissioners from countries like Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Belize, Canada and New Zealand.

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BALMORAL CASTLE, Scotland — A hearse carrying the late Queen Elizabeth II’s oak coffin has left her beloved Balmoral Castle.

The coffin of the late monarch is beginning a six-hour road journey to Edinburgh on Sunday. She died Thursday at Balmoral after a 70-year reign and is starting her last journey back to London for a state funeral Sept. 19.

Crowds are lining parts of the route as the nation mourns its longest-reigning monarch. Early Sunday, flowers and other tributes — a small Paddington Bear toy, a hand-drawn picture of the queen — were piled up outside the gates of Balmoral.

Also Sunday, King Charles III will be formally proclaimed king in the other nations of the United Kingdom — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — after a similar ceremony in Britain a day earlier.

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CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — Britain’s King Charles III has been officially proclaimed Australia’s monarch during a ceremony in Canberra.

Australian Governor General David Hurley made the proclamation Sunday at Parliament House. At the end of the service there was a 21-gun salute.

Charles automatically became king when the queen died on Thursday.

But like the accession ceremony in London on Saturday, the proclamation in Australia was a constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.

Charles is now is the head of state in Australia, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.

Similar ceremonies will be held in each Australian state and territory.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Britain’s King Charles III was officially proclaimed New Zealand’s monarch in a ceremony in Wellington.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday and spoke of the strong bond her son and successor had with New Zealand.

Charles automatically became king when the queen died on Thursday.

Like the accession ceremony in London on Saturday, the proclamation in New Zealand was a constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.

To mark the occasion, the army’s 16 Field Regiment fired a 21-gun salute from Point Jerningham in Wellington.

Charles is now is the head of state in New Zealand, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.

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NEW DELHI — India is observing a day of state mourning on Sunday as a mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II.

The national flag has been lowered to half-staff on all government buildings throughout the country. India was a British colony before gaining independence in 1947.

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday after 70 years on the throne.

King Charles III was officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch on Saturday. He automatically became king when his mother died Thursday.