Dame Arlene Foster in Accession Council that formally proclaimed new King

Dame Arlene was joined by fellow former DUP leader and Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson, current DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, former DUP deputy leader and peer Lord Dodds, and the region’s Lady Chief Justice, Dame Siobhan Keegan.

Pictured left to right: Accession Council members, former DUP deputy leader Lord Dodds, former DUP leaders Peter Robinson and Dame Arlene Foster, with current DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, outside St James's Palace, London.

The council, comprising members of the Privy Council, met at St. James’s Palace in London on Saturday, September 10, to formally proclaim the new sovereign – proceedings that were televised for the first time.

Crowds

Dame Arlene also joined crowds in Enniskillen to witness the reading of the Accession Proclamation of King Charles III by the High Sheriff of County Fermanagh Pat O’Doherty at the Townhall in Enniskillen on Sunday, September 11.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter following the reading of the Accession Proclamation, she said: “I first heard the proclamation at St. James’ Palace just yesterday [Saturday, September 10], when I was over at the Privy Council, so it’s lovely to come home and hear it read again in Enniskillen, which of course is the most westerly point of The Queen’s realm.”

Dame Arlene is a member of the Privy Council, which she was appointed to when she was First Minister.

“Some 200 of the Privy councillors were called upon to confirm [now King Charles III as] The King,” she said of her role at St. James’ Palace during the Accession Proclamation in London.

“There are four councils, if you like, for The King – the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the courts and the Privy Council, so the four pieces come together when something like this happens.”

Talking about the atmosphere in London on Saturday, she said: “It’s a strange atmosphere, because people are obviously still mourning and very sorry to see Her Majesty pass away, because she has been here for everybody’s lifetime.

“But at the same time, they want to show support and love to the new King, so they have shown that by cheering when he appears and shouting ‘God Save The King’.

“When he was proclaimed yesterday [Saturday] in London, and I was in St. James’, I could hear the cheers coming from The Mall and from behind me in St. James’, and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t that be a lovely comfort to His Majesty The King to hear that?’,” she added.

During her time as Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Dame Arlene had met Her Majesty The Queen on various occasions.

She recalled some of these memories fondly. “One of the most amazing times was, when you’re First Minister, you get a private audience with The Queen. That was in 2016, when I met her on my own in Hillsborough Castle.

Her Majesty The Queen, offically opening the new South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen as former First Minister Dame Arlene Foster looks on.

“She was here [in Enniskillen] in 2012 with that very historic visit, when she crossed the road between St. Macartin’s [Cathedral] and St. Michael’s [Church].

‘A very special time’

“That was a very special time, and part of what I think was very personal to her in terms of Northern Ireland, and the relationship between the communities here and the relationship between the island of Ireland and Great Britain.

“I think she really wanted to reflect that on her visit here to Enniskillen, and that’s why it’s so special.”

Earlier this year, the former First Minister was recognised with a Damehood by Her Majesty as part of her Platinum Jubilee Honours.

“It was very special to be named in her Platinum Jubilee Honours List. Nobody had ever reached that milestone before, and it would have been very special to have been made a Dame at any time, but to be part of her Platinum Jubilee list, that was really special,” Dame Arlene told this newspaper.