Charles has automatically become King after the death of his mother, but an Accession Council is usually convened at St James’s Palace in London within 24 hours of the death of a sovereign.
It will be later following the death of the Queen because the announcement of her death did not come until early evening on Thursday, meaning there was not enough time to set the plans in motion for Friday morning.
Historically, the entire Privy Council is summoned to the Accession Council to oversee the formal proclamation of a new monarch.
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But with the number of privy counsellors – who are lifetime members and mostly past and present politicians – now standing at more than 700, restrictions have been put in place.
Just 200 will be summoned, and those cut will be asked to enter an annual ballot for a few remaining seats, with the decision prompting a row over the lack of consultation and the loss of the key duty, the Telegraph previously reported.
The Accession Council must take place before parliament meets, and parliament should meet as soon as practicable after the death of a sovereign.
The Accession Council is divided into two parts, and is presided over by the Lord President of the Council, who has ministerial responsibility for the Privy Council Office.
Penny Mordaunt was appointed Lord President of the Council, and Leader of the House of Commons, on September 6 in Liz Truss’s new cabinet, in place of Mark Spencer, with the Queen officially approving the appointment.
Ms Mordaunt is yet to be ‘declared’ Lord President at a Privy Council meeting because the event was postponed on Wednesday when the Queen was urged to rest.
