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King Charles III message marks anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death
King Charles III has recorded a message and released a favourite photograph of Elizabeth II to mark the first anniversary of his mother’s death.
In the message, the King said he recalled the late queen’s “devoted service and all she meant to so many of us”.
The photograph chosen by the King shows the queen at an official portrait sitting in 1968 aged 42.
Elizabeth II died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle on 8 September last year.
It came just months after her Platinum Jubilee marking 70 years on the throne.
In his short tribute, the King thanked the nation for the “love and support” shown to him and Queen Camilla during his first year as monarch.
“In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us,” the King said.
“I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during this year as we do our utmost to be of service to you all.”
His written message, which accompanies the audio recording, is signed Charles R.
The formal colour photograph was taken by Cecil Beaton on 16 October 1968 and has not been released until now.
It shows the late queen in her Garter robes, wearing the Grand Duchess Vladimir’s Tiara, made of 15 interlaced diamond circles.
The King has spent the summer at his Birkhall residence and Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire.
On Friday morning he and Queen Camilla attended the nearby Crathie Kirk church for private memorial prayers.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, who are visiting West Wales, will commemorate the life of the late queen with a small private service at St David’s Cathedral.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a message that the scale of the late queen’s service “only seems greater” a year after her death.
“Her devotion to the nations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth only seems deeper,” he said.
“And our gratitude for such an extraordinary life of duty and dedication only continues to grow.”
Mr Sunak said he treasured his memories of meeting the late queen and was struck by her “wisdom, her incredible warmth and grace”, as well as her “sharp wit”.
“People across the UK – whether they had the good fortune to meet Her late Majesty or not – will be reflecting today on what she meant to them and the example she set for us all,” he added.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the queues to see the late queen lying in state showed she had “always enjoyed a special bond with her people”.
“It was a relationship built from her understanding that service of this great nation is the thread that unites sovereign and subject,” he said.
“So, as we reflect on her legacy again today, let us embrace that spirit of public service as our guide towards a better future.”
To mark the anniversary of King Charles’s accession to the throne, gun salutes will be fired at midday on Friday in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London.
Bells will also be rung at Westminster Abbey at 13:00 BST to mark the occasion.
The Duke of Sussex has separately been paying his own tribute to the late queen, saying she “is looking down on all of us”.
In a speech at the WellChild Awards ceremony in London on Thursday, he recalled how he had been forced to miss last year’s event as he flew to Balmoral after his grandmother became ill.
Source:BBC.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
