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William, Catherine, Harry And Meghan View Tributes At Windsor; King Charles III Officially Proclaimed In Historic Ceremony; Biden to Attend Queen Elizabeth's Funeral; Inside Balmoral Castle Where Queen Spent Final Days; More Than 5 Million Under Flood Watches in 3 States; CA Heatwave Continues Amid Wildfires & Tropical Storm;; Scientists: "Doomsday Glacier" Holding on "By Its Fingernails"; Greenland Saw Its Largest Melt Event on Record in September; King Charles III Has Long History of Climate Change Activism; Queen Elizabeth II's Memorable Sense Of Humor. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired September 10, 2022 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:00:16]
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: You're live in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington.
Grief over the loss of Queen Elizabeth has unified her kingdom and her own royal family, Prince William and Prince Harry. Did you see this? Earlier today appearing together in public despite a very public rift that began two years ago when Harry and Meghan stepped back as members of the royal family, the brothers, along with their wives, the Princess of Wales and Duchess of Sussex, spent 45 minutes outside of Windsor Castle greeting crowds and viewing tributes to their grandmother and follows this morning's historic ceremony where their father, King Charles III, was formally declared Britain's new monarch. He once again paid tribute to his mother.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING CHARLES III: My lords, ladies and gentlemen, it is my most sorrowful duty to announce to you the death of my beloved mother, the Queen. I know how deeply you, the entire nation, and I think I may say the whole world, sympathize with me in the irreparable loss we've all suffered. It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Today, Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth who spent 70 years on the throne will be laid to rest in a state funeral on Monday, September 19. CNN Scott McLean joins me now from Windsor.
Scott, this reunion, just stunning (ph) earlier today between William and Harry was very surprising, and it seemed to work pretty well with the crowds there where you are. How did this come about? SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, completely unexpected. People knew that they were waiting for a visit, that's what we had been told, but they didn't know exactly who they -- we were waiting for. The press didn't even know who we were waiting for. We figured it was likely Will and Kate. It turned out it was not just willing Kate but it was also Harry and Meghan surprising considering the rift -- the very public rift that exists in the family and specifically between those two brothers.
And a royal source told my colleague Max foster that it was it was the Prince of Wales, William, who extended the olive branch to his brother to do this as a show of unity. So they came out the gates, they walked past the flowers and the mementos that had been left in Honor of Queen Elizabeth II, kneeling down to read some of them and then they started going through the crowd to talk to people. We spoke with one woman who said that Harry said that within the castle walls, you can feel the Queen's presence, you can still very much feel the Queen's presence. I also spoke to a woman who actually hugged Meghan saying that, you know, she felt like she wanted to make sure that she felt welcome here.
The people that you see behind me, they're all here to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II. And all the people who showed up today, this was not something that was announced, they were also thinking that they were simply coming to pay their respects as well. And I just want to talk to one person who's here. Grace (ph), is that right?
GRACE (PH): Yes, correct.
MCLEAN: So Grace, tell me why was it so important for you to come here to pay your respects?
GRACE: Partly because I have a member, well, two members of my family that were in the -- one in the army and one that has been in the RAF and another one in the Navy. My daughter who's been 20 years, as last year was honored by the Queen for her services above and beyond the call of duty. And it was a special military honors that Queen gives on the same time as she gives her Birthday Honors List.
And so, since actually, the very first time I saw the Queen and Prince Phillip would be 69 years ago today.
MCLEAN: Wow.
GRACE: Because it should have run the St. Leger (ph) which is Doncaster which is my hometown. And we always went as a family because it was a special family day out. And they came -- she came by and wave. So, we followed the progress of the family and all of that --
MCLEAN: For many decades.
GRACE: For many decades, yes.
MCLEAN: And thank you for your family's military service as well. And I just have to ask you, I just wonder what you make of, you know, the Prince of Wales, William, coming by and especially with Harry and Meghan.
GRACE: I thought seeing him this morning behind his father, the new King Charles, at the proclamation, I had a feeling that William had thoughts that rather than Harry and Meghan going back to the states and people having the wrong impression that he was the type of thing that Prince William, who is now the Prince of Wales, will do and will follow that over the years to come --
[16:05:18]
MCLEAN: Yes.
GRACE: -- in the same way as his father has done.
MCLEAN: It is open. Well, thank you so much for talking to us.
GRACE: No problem at all.
MCLEAN: We really appreciate it.
And Jim, I have to tell you, you know, in the sense that you get from virtually --
GRACE: Thank you.
MCLEAN: Thank you so much, ma'am.
GRACE: Thank you.
MCLEAN: The sense that you get from virtually everyone that you talk to is that they are sincerely hoping that what we saw today between a Will and Kate and Harry and Meghan is the beginning of a genuine reconciliation process, not nearly just a show of unity, temporarily.
ACOSTA: Absolutely. Families come together in times like this. And perhaps it's the beginning of a thaw between both of these brothers.
All right, Scott McLean, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Joining me now is Bonnie Greer. She's an American British Playwright and former Deputy Chair at the British Museum.
Bonnie, thank you so much for being with us. What was your reaction? Let me just jump off of what --
BONNIE GREER, PLLAYWRIGHT & FORMER DEPUTY CHAIR, THE BRITISH MUSEUM: Great. Glad to be here.
ACOSTA: Yes, thank you so much. What Scott McLean was just reporting on there? I mean, just a stunning moment to see Harry and Meghan with William and Catherine, what did you think?
GREER: Well, Jim, you know, I've always said that the royal family are the last great silent movie actors. What we do is we project our own feelings, our own thoughts, our own assessments on the people who actually have never spoken to us and can speak back to us. So in a sense for me, especially someone who makes theatre, it's really interesting to watch people's reactions to what's something they don't know anything about. But that is partly what the royal family is about, they are great actors, and they -- it sort of absorb the things that we can say like the lady who was previously talking about her own life, that's how they're successful. It's an incredible sort of feat.
But can I say one thing, and I was --
ACOSTA: Sure.
GREER: -- thinking about today, I've lived in this country, half my life and really grateful and proud to be here, this is a beautiful country, but I was born in America, I was born in Illinois, in Chicago. And I think for us as Americans, this is a very important sort of teaching moment for us. We don't have a king.
What happened today was that King Charles exceeded his powers as king, which was passed on to by his mother, he's seated those powers of the state, that's what the constitutional monarchy is, but the power comes from Him. Our power comes from the people. We -- no one can be born to run the United States, no one person runs the United States. No one person holds power within himself or herself. That is what we are not. So I think this is a beautiful time for us to reflect on our democracy, to reflect on the things we fought for, the things we're still fighting for, as we commemorate the life of an incredible human being, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
ACOSTA: Absolutely. We settled all of this some 250 years ago and, darn it, we are proud of it. That's right.
GREER: We dealt with this. We did this.
ACOSTA: That's right.
GREER: We should be. We should be. And we should remember it.
ACOSTA: And treat it as a precious gift that it is.
Let me ask you this, even before Charles took the throne, there has been talk of countries, and this, I think, dovetails beautifully out of your question, there are -- there's talk of countries wanting to break away from the British monarchy, including Australia, New Zealand, places in the Caribbean. How do you see that playing out under King Charles?
GREER: You know, Jim, Charles has always been someone who I -- I've met him a couple of times and been involved with one of his organizations. He's first of all, very proud of the traditions of his family. He's a patriot to this country. He -- and the Commonwealth is part of his family's connection with the rest of the world is the vestiges of empire.
But I think he's also a modern enough man to understand that these countries are going to not want to have their head of state as an hereditary (ph) head of state. And I think Charles will be absolutely fine about that. Some people here might not, but I think Charles will be absolutely fine about it.
ACOSTA: And you have met the now King Charles before when he gave you the honor of being named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. I want to play a moment from his first speech as King, let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING CHARLES III: And to my darling mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa, I want simply to say this thank you. Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations, you have served so diligently all these years. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[16:10:22]
ACOSTA: That is a level of emotion we never really saw from the Queen and yet, King Charles chose to share it. It was not a silent movie, as you were describing it earlier, this was more of a talkie, as I used to say back in those days. What did you think? Yes.
GREER: Well, he wasn't talking. He quotes Hamlet for some reason. Yes. I mean, I don't know why he was quoting Hamlet at the end, it's about a boy and his mother. But nevertheless, he's a big Shakespearean.
This is -- he's always like this. This is how he is, he's a hugger, he's a kisser, he's a laugh for, and that's what he's going to really show going forward. And I think the people are ready for that.
Remember, the monarchy serves at the pleasure of the British people. Sometimes people don't think that's true, but they are absolutely here because the British people are allowing it on a certain level. So, he's always conscious. He did is walk about where he shook hands with individuals, he stood and talked. I think -- and because he has all these charities, he's had them since he was in his 20s, he's very, very aware of the fact that you have to have the people with you. That's what the walk about today in Windsor was about, Jim, you have to bring the people with you in this kind of monarchy or we won't stand.
And so, William understood that. And he and Charles reached out, as I understand to Harry and Meghan, and everybody's together because they understand this. This institution cannot exist without the people saying it can.
ACOSTA: And Bonnie, the conventional wisdom is that King Charles will be very much like his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and be more of a traditionalist when it comes to how he views the monarchy, his role as king. But it sounds as though what you're saying is that the British people, the people of the United Kingdom and people who are part of the Commonwealth around the world, would rather the king be a little different, be a bit more modern than that.
GREER: Well, remember, Charles was talking to plants and everybody thought he was crazy. Fifty years ago he was, you know, he got rid of petrol, he didn't use that gas in his car, he use wine or something like that. Well, 10 year olds now, that's really -- that's what's happening. So, I don't know if Charles can get down to that level. I don't even know if William can.
But that's his track record. He's been an environmentalist from way back. So if he holds on to that, if he allows that to happen, then we -- anything can happen. But he's already placed for this to take. But he is a traditionalist, he does want to uphold the traditions of the family, he's very much entrenched with his family. So that's going to be an interesting tension as well as his causes.
And also, he said today that he understood that this is a constitutional monarchy --
ACOSTA: Right.
GREER: -- which means he is not going to write any more letters to people. So, that's who he is.
ACOSTA: Yes. All right. Bonnie Greer, thank you very much. Great discussion. Appreciate it.
GREER: Thank you, Jim.
ACOSTA: All right. And still ahead, centuries of tradition are on display today for the world to witness as King Charles III was formally proclaimed Britain's new monarch. All the pomp and circumstance, next.
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[16:17:48]
ACOSTA: This morning, King Charles III was formally proclaimed as Britain's new monarch. The new king paid tribute to his mother and dedicated the rest of his life as a monarch. CNN's Max Foster has more on the formal ceremony
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Prince Charles Philip Harford George is now, by the death of our late sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful leads Lord Charles III, King, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): King Charles III publicly declared as the new monarch of the United Kingdom, a day enshrined with language and traditions from another age when word of a new sovereign required it to be spoken out loud on the streets of the nation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God save the king.
FOSTER (voice-over): Gun salutes across the four nations marked the principal or first public proclamation being made. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hip, hip.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Hooray.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hip, hip.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: Hooray.
FOSTER (voice-over): This moment captured by cheering crowds on smartphones, it's followed what was a traditionally private accession ceremony inside St. James's Palace. The greater the good of the British establishment gathered, the new Prince of Wales with Queen Consort Camilla, helping to steady her as she walked onto the stage. For the first time, the somber and solemn event televised for the world to see.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The council is assembled.
FOSTER (voice-over): Rituals and proceedings carried out at the Accession Council designed to confirm and endorse the King's position as the new head of state. Former prime ministers, current political leaders and heads of the church, some of the so called privy counselors invited to witness this historic moment.
[16:20:02]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your declaration --
FOSTER (voice-over): Standing in front of the most senior of the thrones, King Charles began with a tribute to his beloved mother.
KING CHARLES III: My mother's reign was unequaled in its duration, its dedication, and its devotion. Even as we grieve, we give thanks for this most faithful life.
FOSTER (voice-over): Before pledging his own lifetime of service,
KING CHARLES III: And in carrying out the heavy task that has been laid upon me, and to which I now dedicate what remains to me of my life, I pray for the guidance and help of Almighty God.
FOSTER (voice-over): Taking an oath to uphold the security of the Church of Scotland, which is separate from the state, unlike the Church of England, by his size serve his closest allies, his son, William, the new Prince of Wales, and wife, Camilla, his Queen Consort.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God save the king.
FOSTER (voice-over): The day's pomp and pageantry continued a second public proclamation of the new king read at London's Royal Exchange, the heart of the city's financial center. The announcements are being sent onwards across the U.K.'s four nations and the kingdom's overseas realms and territories to mark a new era.
As King Charles, his car adorned by the Royal Standard, arrived at Buckingham Palace to begin what will be the task of a lifetime, his new reign.
Max Foster, CNN, Buckingham Palace, London.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ACOSTA: A final farewell journey is in the works for the late Queen. Today, the palace released details on her funeral. CNN's Anna Stewart joins us now from Buckingham Palace.
Anna, a lot of work is going to be going into this.
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Huge amount of work in terms of the funeral plans. And I think particularly for all the mourners that we have seen who have been lining the Buckingham Palace going to the new garden, which is a memorial for all the flowers, we felt this changing mood. Lots of people very sad, lots of people very excited about the prospect of a new king.
And the release of these details, I think, will be incredibly helpful for people who want to know where they want to be for the coming days. So, if we just run you through the basic plan, now tomorrow, Sunday at 10:00 here in the U.K., I think that's 5:00 a.m. Eastern with you, the coffin will move from Balmoral and it will head to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Now, in many ways, this is going to be a very emotional part for the estate there and for the extended royal family because at this point, really, the coffin is leaving the sphere of private grieving. This is when the coffin has been brought out into the public. On Monday, the coffin will move to St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, where it will rest until Tuesday and then travels back to London by air. And the coffin will be traveling here to Buckingham Palace, that will be around 8:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. your time.
And then it's Wednesday that I think will really perhaps be the biggest day in terms of the public here because on Wednesday, the coffin will move in a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. And that is where the lying in states will start to take place. From Wednesday right through to the state funeral, which expected now on Monday, the 19th of September, that is where members of the public will actually be able to go and pay their respects. We saw this with the Queen Mother, you know, some years ago now, but it surprised people how many people wanted to queue up, 200,000 I think it was back then, this is likely to be even bigger than that.
So, if you can just see all the flowers we've seen today outside Buckingham Palace and in the floral tribute garden, you start to understand how people feel, they really want to pay their respects to the Queen. There's a huge mix of sadness and joy. And I've been speaking to some of those mourners here today. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really, really sad. So, you almost sort of saw it coming through the afternoon. But then when it cut to the announcement, there were tears in our house, then you have to sort of process it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Left some flowers for the Queen because she was such an amazing person. I felt very sad because she's the only queen, no person I've ever had.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: King Charles will be traveling to all four nations through the week to meet his people. So I think we will see more joy maybe as the week goes on in some respects, because there is a lot of hope and excitement about a new chapter in royal history. And we certainly saw that today, lots of cheers as well as all those tears. Jim.
ACOSTA: And Anna, the Queen used to say I have to be seen to be believed. What does that mean for the new king?
STEWART: Well, I think King Charles would probably agree on that front in terms of seat being seen to be believed. It'll be interesting. I think we heard about this in his state address when he spoke about how his life will change, it will be different, because you'll know that King Charles in the past has been quite opinionated on certain subjects, often controversially so, writing letters to ministers. But he will want to be seen to be believed now. I think he will put that behind him.
[16:25:06]
And I think he'll be looking to the close members of his family particularly, particularly his son, the Prince of Wales, to help him in that effort. Jim.
ACOSTA: All right. Anna Stewart, we'll all be watching, the whole world will be watching. Thank you very much.
And coming up, President Biden, he plans to attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral. Plus, a look at Balmoral Castle, the royal residence in the Scottish Highlands where the Queen's family believes she was happiest and where she spent her final days as the longest serving monarch in British history.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:30:07]
JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: Nine days from now, the world will say its final good-byes to the late Queen Elizabeth. The queen will lie in state at Westminster Hall for four days, followed by the state funeral on September 19th, which will be attended by some of the most powerful people in the world, including at least one U.S. president.
CNN senior White House correspondent, Joe Johns, is live at the White House for us.
Joe, what do we know about the president's plans so far?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You know, to tell you the truth, I'm still waiting for some official guidance from the White House on this.
But, frankly, Joe Biden, as the head of the state and head of national government, would be expected to go. He's even alluded to that publicly. The likelihood would be that first lady, Jill Biden, would also go with him.
One of the big questions is whether any former presidents might go or might be invited.
Also whether and to what extent the United States might put together a formal official delegation to go over and what would happen there.
Here's what the president said on Friday when he was asked whether he was planning to attend the queen's funeral. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are you going to the queen's funeral, sir?
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes. I don't know what the details are yet. But I will be going.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Now, Joe Biden has met the queen twice, first in 1982 during a Senate visit and then as president just last year. So he has met the queen before.
And a question, of course, is who else might be going because the president assumes he is also.
Back to you, Jim.
ACOSTA: All right, we'll be watching that. Of course, Joe Biden has said that the queen reminds him of his own mother. So I'm sure this means a lot to him and the entire Biden family.
Joe Johns, thank you very much.
It's been a sanctuary for the royal family since the days of Queen Victoria. Balmoral Castle, in the Scottish highlands, was the place where Queen Elizabeth could hunt, fish and escape the rigors of royal life. It's also where she spent her final days.
CNN's Isa Soares takes us inside.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PRINCESS EUGENIE: I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the highlands.
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Balmoral Castle, located on 50,000 acres in the Scottish Highlands, was the preferred summer retreat of Queen Elizabeth, where many say she felt most relaxed from the rigidity of royal life.
PRINCESS EUGENIE: Walks, picnics, dogs, a lot of dogs as always dogs, and people coming in and out all the time.
SOARES: Free from public duty, the queen could relax and spend time, riding her beloved horses, hiking and playing games like charades with family members, who would often make the trip to visit during the summer sojourn.
PRINCESS EUGENIE: It's a lovely base for granny and grandpa to be for us to come and see them up there when you just have room to breathe and run.
SOARES: For all the splendor and grandeur of royal residences, Balmoral was known as homey, rustic, full of family photos. There was even a cushion embroidered with the words "It's good to be queen."
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has described in his memoir a weakened Balmoral as a vivid combination of the intriguing, the surreal, and the utterly freaky. Were pre dinner drinks were, quote, "true rocket fuel" and the queen has self would do the washing up," Blair wrote.
"They put the gloves on and stick their hands in the sink. The queen asks if you finished, she stacks the plates up and goes off to the sink."
For Britain's longest-serving monarch, Balmoral held a sentimental significance.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Ow! It's my foot you're standing on.
SOARES: It was where young Elizabeth met Prince Philip. It was also at Balmoral that the royal family, including Prince Harry and Prince William learned of the death of their mother, Princess Diana.
In happier times, the royal family's annual Ghillies ball was at Balmoral, a Scottish dance party, from the time of Queen Victoria, helped to thank the royal staff for their hard work.
But it was the landscape that held the most appeal for the queen. The walks along the hills surrounding the property, the hunts, the picnics, and of course, her drives around the estate in her Land Rover.
A beloved place of history and of symbolism. A fitting end to her majesty's final days at home at Balmoral.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: And our thanks to Isa for that report.
[16:34:44]
Coming up, intense flames out of control in drought-stricken California. How a tropical storm just off the coast could actually make matters worse.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ACOSTA: More than five million people across southern California and Nevada and Arizona remain under flood watches as the remnants of a tropical storm move away.
The rainfall and cloud cover ended California's excessive heat, but even the low temperatures will remain above average.
CNN's Camila Bernal joins me now from southern California.
Camila, there were initially concerns about potential flash floods and mudslides. What's the latest?
CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Jim. Yes, the concern is too much rain in a short period of time because that causes those flood watches. That causes the creeks and the rivers to rise very quickly.
And then those mudslides, that was a huge concern, especially for areas that were impacted by fires.
Here in the Fairview Fire, though, we know that the worst-case scenario did not happen because, instead, what they got was steady rain throughout the day, and that was extremely beneficial for the firefighters.
The containment here is now at 40 percent. So a lot of people are actually being allowed back into their homes.
[16:40:00]
Unfortunately, this fire did destroy at least 14 structures. So there are some families that are going to come back to an area that looks like the one here behind me.
They're going to have nothing left. And that's always difficult for the families that have to deal with all of this.
But keep in mind, the fire is still burning. Fire officials telling me that they need the weekend to at least get a handle on the flames.
They think that, by Monday, they may have complete containment. But there's still some time and progress and work to be done in order to get there.
Cal Fire also hoping that the weather continues to help them. Here's how they describe the weather here and in other parts of the state.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD CORDOVA, PIO, CAL FIRE RIVERSIDE COUNTY: It's kind of an odd situation we're dealing with, especially in the last couple of days where southern California, as we've gotten this cloud cover, it's helped us on this fire.
But we've had major fires going on in northern California, central California because they don't have this cloud cover. They have the extreme temperatures up there. They're dealing with low humidity.
So firefighters have their handfuls in northern California with multiple fires in that area.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERNAL: And one of those fires in northern California, the Mosquito Fire, significantly growing. Officials saying it's now over 33,000 acres burned and zero percent containment. So a lot of work to be done here.
Cal Fire also telling me, look, because of the ongoing drought in California, we just don't expect the situation overall in the state to get any easier.
They think that moving forward, it is going to continue to be very difficult as they fight these fires -- Jim?
ACOSTA: All right, Camila Bernal, in California for us, thank you very much.
And CNN's chief climate correspondent, Bill Weir, joins us now.
Bill, I mean, just a very difficult situation in California right now. We're seeing these massive wildfires, a sweltering heat wave, energy problems and heavy rain.
What more can they possibly take on at this point?
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is sort of the Book of Revelations in real life playing out, out there, and then the tropical storm, the closest to come to California in 25 years to complicate matters.
But scientists at NASA and JPL have put out science that have studied this and these heat domes that we've seen the last couple of summers, that just sit there.
These droughts they're getting longer, and they're getting hotter, and they're getting more frequent.
ACOSTA: Absolutely, and to that point, scientists this week said that Antarctica's so-called Doomsday Glacier is holding on by its fingernails. This is the glacier that could raise the sea levels by several feet.
Can you paint us a picture of just what's at risk if that actually happens?
WEIR: Sure. Well, it would be bad news for coastal cities -- excuse me -- from Miami to Bangladesh.
It gets the name from an article in "Rolling Stone" a few years ago, Jeff Qadell (ph), great climate reporter over there, called it the Doomsday Glacier because if it goes it's sort of like a cork the size of Florida coming out of a giant continent full of ice water that could ultimately raise sea levels.
Because it would be the first in a serious of dominos that the whole western ice sheet, it goes, that could take centuries.
There's mixed science on how soon it's going to happen, but there's no doubt it's going to happen. It's being warmed up from beneath. It's sort of teetering on a bit of under-seabed.
And once it goes, history shows it could go fast. So maybe coastal cities should think about it in terms of it could happen sooner than later.
ACOSTA: And, Bill, we learned that Greenland just saw its largest melting event in September on record.
WEIR: Yes.
ACOSTA: It was just a few months ago when we were told that the amount of Greenland ice that melted in July could cover West Virginia with a foot of water.
How will this melting event in Greenland affect us?
WEIR: Yes, that's up at the North Pole
(CROSSTALK)
ACOSTA: Yes.
WEIR: -- at the other end of the planet. Similar concerns there.
We've worried more about Greenland in the last decade when it comes to sea-level rise because the Arctic is heating up so fast and all that fresh water flowing into the gulf stream is throwing off ocean currents.
Now new concerns, fresh concerns with all the new science coming out of Antarctica.
But the concern here is how late in the season it's happening. In September. As the days are getting really short up there, it's still this hot, warm air is sitting over Greenland causing these, you know, single melting events that they've never seen before, especially this late.
ACOSTA: And, Bill, you know, we've been talking about the royals, as you may have noticed, just a touch over the last couple of days.
WEIR: Skosh.
ACOSTA: Yes, just a skosh.
The new king, King Charles III, he has long been a vocal advocate for climate change science. If people don't know this, they ought to understand. He's been talking about this for years now.
WEIR: Yes.
ACOSTA: It's not clear yet if he's going to be outspoken about this as king. I know, so far, the tea leaves indicate that he's going to be more of a traditionalist and not get into politics as much.
How big of a deal would it be if this new king were to continue to talk about this issue?
[16:45:03]
WEIR: Well, look, at a time when there are plenty of leaders around the world who do not take the problem seriously, it's nice to have a king of England who certainly does.
He came by it honestly. He's been an organic farmer since the '80s when they were calling him a tree hugger. He cares very much about ecosystem in balance.
But the royals don't have the best record on this. You know, the queen the only citizen of Scotland exempt from a climate law that made it mandatory for at least put in a way to get clean energy in your home.
The crown owns 12 miles of sea bead around the entire country.
And recently, NGOs that are trying to bring back kelp for us for biodiversity say they're being fined punitively licenses to do that.
Could he change those sorts of policies? We don't know. This is happening, Jim, at a time when the new government, the Liz Truss Conservatives are basically saying we're going to drill, baby drill.
The new man in charge of energy and environment vows to get every drop of oil in the North Sea. Will the new king have a say in that? It will be really interesting to see. There will be a lot of pressure from both sides.
ACOSTA: Absolutely.
Bill Weir, our Prince William here at CNN --
(LAUGHTER)
ACOSTA: -- our earl of the environment.
Thank you very much, Bill. We appreciate it.
I had to, I'm sorry.
(LAUGHTER)
ACOSTA: As the world remembers Queen Elizabeth's reign, we're also reminded of the playful side she brought to the monarchy. Our Randi Kaye shares some of her most humorous moments. That's next.
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[16:51:05]
ACOSTA: The Netflix historical drama "The Crown" temporarily paused production on its sixth and final season Friday following the death of Queen Elizabeth. The award-winning series also plans to go dark on the day of the queen's funeral.
The show has had several actresses portray the queen at various decades during her reign, from Claire Foye to Olivia Colman and, most recently, Imelda Staunton.
The upcoming season is expected to cover events in the mid '90s, including the divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Following her death, many people have shared their fond memories of the queen, including the more playful side of the monarch, even in the most unlikely times.
CNN's Randi Kaye has some of the most notable moments.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Queen Elizabeth II's Jubilee this year. That's her sharing a cup of tea with Paddington Bear.
PADDINGTON BEAR: Perhaps you would like a marmalade sandwich. I always keep one for emergencies.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: So do I. I keep mine in here. For later.
KAYE: Queen Elizabeth was known to have a quick wit and a wicked sense of humor even around other heads of state. Last year, she lightened the mood when posing for pictures at the G-7 summit in Cornwall, England.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Are you supposed to look like as if you are enjoying?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
KAYE: And years ago, after then-President George W. Bush made a verbal slip up saying she had visited the U.S. in 1776 instead of 1976, she gently teased him during her opening toast at the White House State Dinner.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: I wondered whether I should start this toast by saying, when I was here in 1776.
(LAUGHTER)
KAYE: Watch how she played along with the Obamas and her grandson, Harry, when she was helping Harry promote the Invictus Games, a competition for wounded warriors.
MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: (INAUDIBLE) -- remember when you told us to bring it at the Invictus Games?
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Be careful what you wish for.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boom.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Oh really. Please.
PRINCE HARRY: Boom.
KAYE: The queen loved to delight those around her. Last year, when she was presented with a birthday cake in an event, she borrowed an enormous ceremonial sword to cut the cake instead of the knife on hand.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is knife here.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: (INAUDIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: This is something at least more unusual.
KAYE: In a spoof once for the Olympics, the queen upstaged Actor Daniel Craig. She even made it look like she jumped out of a helicopter with 007.
She also once cracked a joke during this video call with the governor and premier of South Australia after the unveiling of a statue in the queen's honor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That feel very close to you through this standing in front of the statue.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: You just never think possibly might be quite alarming, just suddenly see it out of the window.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Gracious that she arrived, yes, unexpectedly.
KAYE: Her quick wit also showed through during this interview with Sir David Attenborough at Buckingham Palace. Watch her reaction when he points out she has a sundial in the shade.
SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, ENGLISH BROADCASTER: Sundial neatly planted in the shade.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Isn't it, good? Yes.
(LAUGHTER) QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Have you thought of that? This was planted in the shade. It wasn't in the shade originally, I'm sure. But --
(LAUGHTER)
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Maybe we could move it.
KAYE: A former bodyguard for the queen likes to tell the story about when the queen met an American couple while out on a hike. They didn't recognize her. And she had fun toying with them when they asked her if she had ever met the queen.
RICHARD GRIFFIN, FORMER ROYAL PROTECTION OFFICER: She says, well, I haven't but Dick here meets her regularly.
Before we see what's happening, he gets his camera, gives it to the queen and says, can you take a picture of the two of us. We swapped places and I took a picture of them with the queen, and we never let on.
And Her Majesty said to me, I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he shows those photographs to friends in America and hopefully someone tells him who I am.
[16:55:02]
KAYE: A sense of humor now silenced. Perhaps Paddington Bear said it best.
PADDINGTON BEAR: Thank you for everything.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: That's very kind.
KAYE: Randy Kaye, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: Coming up, the reign of a new king begins. How Charles III could forever change the British monarchy.
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