Hundreds gather outside Kendal Town Hall to proclaim Charles the King

The proclamation was read by South Lakeland District Council chairman Pete McSweeney before 'God Save the King' was sung by attendees, with music provided by Burneside Brass. 

Cllr McSweeney described it as an 'honour and a privilege' to take part in the occasion. 

He emphasised the significance of upholding tradition despite the rise of social media and instant news. 

"We look at a proclamation ceremony and think 'why do we need that in this day and age', but we do," he said.

"It's all part of our history, it's all part of Britishness, if you like.

"I was nervous, you couldn't not be, because the wording is so complicated, I had to practise a lot. 

Burneside Brass played God Save the King. Picture: South Lakeland District Council (Image: South Lakeland District Council)

"You couldn't speak too quickly because it would just be a jumble of words, words that people don't use in language every day."

It was the first ever proclamation made by a council that is to cease to exist in April, when a unitary Westmorland and Furness authority takes over its services. 

The official proclamation was made at St James's Palace in London on Saturday. A second proclamation was made at the city's Royal Exchange.

The following day, proclamations were made in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast before being cascaded down to county, city, district and parish levels.

The Kendal proclamation was introduced by Anne Diss MBE, a deputy lieutenant of Cumbria, and Cllr Doug Rathbone, the mayor of Kendal.

"It was an honour to do it myself but it was also the fact it was everybody taking part in it and singing God Save the King," said Cllr Rathbone.

"I could feel everybody behind me singing it with such force and such emotion.

"Events like this are really the glue that binds us together."

Cllr Rathbone paid tribute to King Charles.

He said: "I think the first speech that he gave after his mother's death was one that showed what a considered view he has of all of this and how it bodes well for him being able, after such a long wait, to be a king that carries on his mother's work."