King Charles III: Cardiff Castle gun salute marks proclamation

A 21-gun salute has been held at Cardiff Castle to mark the proclamation of King Charles III.

The former Prince of Wales became King following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, aged 96.

First Minister Mark Drakeford attended the official proclamation ceremony of King Charles in London.

Flags in Wales have been raised to full mast for the occasion, but will be lowered again on Sunday as a mark of respect to the Queen.

The King was officially proclaimed at St James's Palace in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

It is made up of members of the Privy Council - a group of senior politicians including past and present MPs, peers and senior civil servants.

After the King swore an oath to the Privy Council, the proclamation was read publicly on Saturday morning.

Proclamations will take place in other parts of the UK, including Wales, at about midday on Sunday.

Up to 2,000 people will be allowed into the ceremony at Cardiff Castle, with tickets available on a first come, first served basis.

Gates are expected to open around 10:00 BST.

The Senedd has also been recalled for tributes on Sunday, but all other business has been suspended until after the state funeral.

Capt Helen Jasper, officer in charge of the guns at Cardiff Castle, said: "It's deeply sad for all of us because the Queen, Her Majesty, has been our monarch for the entirety of our military service.

"And whilst we're very saddened and completely heartbroken about the event, we do have a job to do and we remain professional."

She said the reservists had also fired a salute when the Queen had previously visited Wales.

"And although we didn't get to meet her personally, we saw her at a distance which was outstanding," she said.

Liberty Hill, 26, from Cardiff, said she "stumbled" across the gun salute while on a bike ride through the city.

"We're not going to have a queen for probably a very long time now, so what an opportunity to just honour her life," she said.

Cindy Kearney, 61, also from Cardiff, said the salute, which was watched by almost 1,000 people at the castle, had created a "sense of community".

"I would love to have been in London really, to have gone and experienced that too," she said.

"I think this is the next best thing."

Donna Hill, 56, from Cardiff, said it was "phenomenal" to see how the UK was mourning the Queen and marking the King's ascension.

"I think it's bringing the whole of the UK and indeed the world together," she added.

Shirley Walker said her abiding memory of the Queen was her "skin, and smile".

"She was absolutely beautiful," said Ms Walker, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, who was in Cardiff with family ahead of her 87th birthday on Tuesday.

New Yorker Maya Barlev, 32, was in Cardiff while on an unscheduled day off from her work in the UK, following the Queen's death.

"It's an amazing thing to be here to mark the end of her life and her rule - being part of history," she said.

"Everyone I know loved the Queen.

"I loved when she brought her humour out and did those skits with Paddington Bear and the Olympics - it was just fun, watching from afar."

Marcus Crosby, 41, from Detroit, Michigan, said he had been on a train en route to visit Buckingham Palace when news of the Queen's death was announced.

"It was a bit of a moment to take in," he said.

"It's something I can pass along to my kids and to my family that was a part of world history," said Mr Crosby who was in the UK as part with an American network team to broadcast a women's world boxing title fight in London.

That fight, a world title match between Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields at the O2 arena in London, was postponed, while its undercard bout involving Welsh fighter Lauren Price was cancelled.

Many sporting fixtures across Wales have also been postponed this weekend as a mark of respect to the Queen.

The Football Association of Wales has suspended fixtures at all levels of the game, and no senior rugby matches will be played.

However, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said that children's rugby can continue, and will announce next week when senior matches will return.

The Ironman Wales competition in Pembrokeshire has cancelled Saturday's Ironkids event but organisers have said that the main event will continue on Sunday.

"We understand that many athletes would like to dedicate their participation in the event in honour of Her Majesty, and encourage athletes to pay their respects as they feel comfortable to do so," said organisers.

"A moment of silence will also be observed at swim start on Sunday as a mark of respect."