Andrew Neil, one of Britain's most respected news broadcasters and chairman of The Spectator in the U.K. and U.S., admits it may take some time to get used to saying "King Charles III," after writing and repeating the title of "Charles, Prince of Wales" throughout his life.
At the same time, Neil believes the new king made a strong first impression in Friday's "historic" 9-minute address "to the nation, to the Commonwealth," after Queen Elizabeth II's passing on Thursday at the age of 96.
In his address, King Charles celebrated his mother's lifetime commitment to service, duty, honor, and continuity, and essentially said, "I will continue in the same vein" as my mother, Neil told Newsmax on Friday while appearing on "John Bachman Now" with host Bianca de la Garza.
Neil also praised the royal family for acknowledging the tenets of succession during this harrowing time, announcing that Prince William — the elder son of King Charles and the late Princess Diana — and his wife, Princess Kate, are the new Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales, respectively.
"That's quite a news story they gave us" on a Friday, Neil said.
Neil also marveled in the "major olive branch" that King Charles extended to his younger son, Prince Harry, and his wife, Princess Meghan, after the couple had been keeping their distance from the royal family the last few years.
"Prince Charles, or the new King Charles would probably say, 'It's a new chapter, it's a new age'" in British history, and "let bygones be bygones," says Neil.
Neil says Harry and Meghan "would be wise to take" the olive branch extended by King Charles.
The reasoning for the public invitation, from Neil's perspective: It'll likely be a substantial burden replacing the legacy of Queen Elizabeth, and "Charles wants the royal family to be united, together. ... No more sniping from the sidelines."
Queen Elizabeth's seven-decade run likely won't be duplicated in future generations, says Neil. But her legacy covers more than a vast timeline.
"People in the Commonwealth, and from around the world, are now beginning to realize how much they'll miss her," says Neil, while adding that Queen Elizabeth was the "glue that kept the country together."
Neil says Queen Elizabeth also played a prominent role in keeping the United Kingdom — comprising England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland — together through decades of political, societal, and population changes.
"And that mattered a lot to the queen," says Neil.
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