Most New Zealanders have never witnessed a change of monarch in their lifetimes, and the ascension of a new head of state has prompted questions about how the country will mourn Queen Elizabeth II – and what will change under King Charles III.
The country has entered a period of mourning that is likely to last for a fortnight, says the governor-general, Dame Cindy Kiro, who is the crown’s representative in New Zealand. But it will not be marked by business closures, canceled events or a public holiday.
A national memorial service is at least 10 days away, and will follow the Queen’s funeral in the UK. Flags at government buildings will fly at half-mast until the period of mourning is over.
The exception will be on Sunday, when flags will fly at full-mast during a proclamation day for the King that will be marked by a ceremony in the capital, Wellington.
By law, Charles became King of New Zealand immediately upon Queen Elizabeth’s death; the formalities on Sunday will simply acknowledge his ascension.
Kiro and Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s prime minister, are expected to travel to London next week for the Queen’s funeral on 18 September.
New Zealand is among a minority of Commonwealth nations – 15 of 54 – to still have the British monarch as its head of state. On Friday, the governor general emphasised a list of what would not change under a new king; oaths taken by officials were still valid, and the same flag, passports, emblem, anthem, and governance arrangements would remain, Kiro’s website said.
The biggest shift for many New Zealanders will be the change in name of the public holiday they have marked since 1953 – from Queen’s Birthday to King’s Birthday.
The date won’t alter; King’s Birthday will still be marked on the Monday after the first weekend in June, according to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
And the country’s Reserve Bank said Queen Elizabeth’s face would remain on the country’s notes and coins for years.
“It will be several years before we need to introduce coins featuring King Charles the Third, and longer until stocks of $20 notes are exhausted,” the central bank said in a statement, referring to the currency items that bear the Queen’s face.
During the mourning period, New Zealanders can pay their respects at condolence books laid out at locations throughout the country, or leave flowers at parliament. A gun salute will mark the Queen’s death in Wellington on Friday evening.
The 16th Field Regiment will fire 96 rounds – one round for every year of Her Majesty’s life.