King Charles Honors Late Mother Queen Elizabeth on What Would Have Been 100th Birthday

King Charles Honors Late Mother Queen Elizabeth on What Would Have Been 100th Birthday
Gina Alexander

King Charles III is paying tribute to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been the late monarch's 100th birthday. More than three years after Charles became king following his mother's passing on Sept. 8, 2022, at the age of 96, the monarch shared a touching video message remembering her legacy on YouTube.

“Today, as we mark what would have been my beloved mother’s 100th birthday, my family and I pause to reflect on the life and loss of a sovereign who meant so much to us all and to celebrate anew the many blessings of her memory,” Charles, 77, began the message.

“Queen Elizabeth’s ‘promise with destiny kept’ shaped the world around her and touched the lives of countless people across our nation, the Commonwealth and beyond,” he continued. “Her near-century was one of remarkable change — and yet through each passing decade, through every transformation, she remained constant, steadfast, and wholly devoted to the people she served.”

Charles noted that the late queen will be remembered by millions, not only for her rule as a sovereign, but for the personal encounters she had with her people, which included “a smile” or “a kind word that lifted spirits.”

LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 05: Charles, Prince of Wales, and Queen Elizabeth II stand on a balcony during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 05, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Hannah McKay – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

“Much about the times we now live in, I suspect, may have troubled her deeply, but I take heart from her belief that goodness will always prevail and that a brighter dawn is never far from the horizon,” Charles went on. “For, as a young Princess Elizabeth put it in her first ever public broadcast, age just 14, we can each play our part ‘to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place.’ It is a belief which I share, with all my heart.”

Charles concluded by asking people to put aside their differences and work together for a “better, happier tomorrow” that is “rooted in peace, justice, prosperity and security,” signing off, “In this, I renew my own solemn pledge of duty and service to you all. God bless you, darling Mama. You remain forever in our hearts and prayers.”