Read Prince William's moving coronation tribute to King Charles III
Prince William delivered a moving tribute to his father King Charles III at Sunday night's coronation concert.
William, the heir to the throne, was the only member of the royal family to speak at the concert that was held on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
In his speech, which came one day after Charles was crowned at Westminster Abbey, William recognized his father's decades of service and commitment to others.
"Pa, we are all so proud of you," said William, who attended the concert with his wife Kate, the Princess of Wales, and their two oldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Charles' younger son, Prince Harry, attended Saturday's coronation service but did not participate in other coronation festivities, including Sunday night's concert. Harry, who stepped down from his senior working royal role in 2020, is believed to have flown back to his family in California shortly after the service at Westminster Abbey.
William made no mention of Harry or other living family members in his speech, choosing instead to focus on the man tens of thousands of people gathered to celebrate all weekend, his father, the king.
William delivered his speech just after singer Lionel Richie performed two of his hit songs onstage.
Here is William's full speech about Charles, as shared by Kensington Palace.
The Prince of Wales Speech at the Coronation Concert, Windsor, May 7, 2023
Good evening Your Majesties.
Good evening Windsor!
A huge thank you to everyone for making this such a special evening.
I want to say a few words about my father, and why I believe this weekend is so important.
But don’t worry, unlike Lionel, I won’t go on all night long.
As my Grandmother said when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future.
And I know she’s up there, fondly keeping an eye on us. She would be a proud mother.
For all that celebrations are magnificent, at the heart of the pageantry is a simple message.
Service.
My father’s first words on entering Westminster Abbey yesterday were a pledge of service.
It was a pledge to continue to serve.
Because for over 50 years, in every corner of the U.K., across the Commonwealth and around the world, he has dedicated himself to serve others, both current and future generations, and those whose memory must not be neglected.
Take the natural world. He warned us of the risks to our planet’s health long before it was an everyday issue.
Or the Prince’s Trust. It has supported over a million young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, to realise their ambitions.
And, perhaps most importantly of all, my father has always understood that people of all faiths, all backgrounds, and all communities, deserve to be celebrated and supported.
Pa, we are all so proud of you.
I also want to express my pride and gratitude for the millions of people who serve, in the forces, in classrooms, hospital wards and local communities.
I wish I could mention you all.
Your service inspires us.
And tonight we celebrate you too.
I commit myself to serve you all.
King, Country and Commonwealth.
God Save The King!
