King Charles III was officially named the monarch of Australia and New Zealand on Sunday, September 11 , during ceremonies held in these two countries to mark his accession to the throne. In Canberra, Governor-General David Hurley proclaimed that " Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is King Charles III , by the grace of God, King of Australia".

At a similar ceremony in Wellington, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hailed Charles, saying he "has long had a fondness for New Zealand, and has consistently demonstrated his deep interest in our nation". . Both ceremonies were pure formalities.

These two former British colonies have been independent for decades but retain the monarch as head of state. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who will leave for London this week to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II , has announced that September 22 will be a public holiday in Australia to mark her passing.

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Separately, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Charles III on his accession to the throne, state media reported. In a message, the Chinese leader assures the new king of his desire to "increase friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation and strengthen communication on international issues", specified the official news agency China news. It should be noted that, until now, Charles had each time avoided the state dinners organized for the Chinese presidency.