Proclamation ceremony to be held at Wakefield Town Hall to mark the reign of King Charles III

The Mayor of Wakefield, Coun David Jones, will read The Wakefield Metropolitan District Proclamation at 2pm on the steps of Wakefield Town Hall, where people are welcome to gather to witness this historic event.

It is part of a series of proclamations – or readings - in the formal process of officially proclaiming the new King and his accession to the throne.

The first proclamation is on Saturday, at St James's Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

At the meeting, the death of Queen Elizabeth will be announced by the Lord President of the Privy Council and a proclamation will be read aloud.

It has traditionally been a series of prayers and pledges, commending the previous monarch and pledging support for the new one.

The proclamation is then signed by a number of senior figures including the Prime Minister, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Lord Chancellor.

A proclamation will next be read at the Royal Exchange in the City of London, followed by proclamations in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

Proclamations will then be made at county level.

Wakefield’s proclamation will follow the West Yorkshire proclamation that takes place in Leeds.

Wakefield’s reading will be led by The Mayor and attended by a civic party including the Leader of the Council, Coun Denise Jeffery and civic guests and representatives.

Coun Jones said: “Following the very sad news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, we will be reading the proclamation, that marks the beginning of the reign of King Charles III and his accession to the throne.

“We extend a very warm welcome to those who would like to witness our part in these historic events.”

The Proclamation will be followed by the national anthem.

Road closures will be in place around the Town Hall from noon onwards, to support people gathering outside.

As a mark of respect, the clock tower at Wakefield Town Hall will be shining in purple tonight, tomorrow, and on the eve of The Queen's funeral.