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King Charles III Publicly Proclaimed As UK Monarch; Biden Says He Will Be Attending Queen's Funeral; 11 Major Wildfires Are Burning In California; King Charles III Publicly Proclaimed As UK Monarch. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired September 10, 2022 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[08:01:06]

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Just after eight in the morning in the United States, it is 1:00 p.m. here in London. I'm Don Lemon. Thanks so much for joining us. We are following the pomp and pageantry in the United Kingdom as King Charles III is officially proclaimed the new King of England and the head of the Commonwealth.

A second proclamation of King Charles has been read out from the Royal Exchange, it's all part of a shift in power in the United Kingdom, the end of one reign and the beginning of the next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNDENTIFIED MALE: The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now by the death of our late suffering of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful liege lord, Charles III, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom, of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland, and of his other realms and territories. King, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The proclamation being read out, was signed by members of the Privy Council including Prince William, the new Prince of Wales and Camilla, the Queen Consort. Now, looking on were British Prime Minister Liz Truss as well as a former British Prime Ministers including Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron and Tony Blair. Afterward, the King address the council paying tribute to the late Queen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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, 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.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: I want to bring in now Max Foster and CNN contributor Kate Williams. Hello, once again. Good morning, Kate.

KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL HISTORIAN: Good afternoon.

LEMON: It's a good afternoon now here. This is history playing out. And we have been sitting here, watching it -- the world has been watching it. But it's also a moment of transition for the monarchy. And the people of the Commonwealth.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: So, the Accession Council goes back to the very early days of monarchy more than 1,000 years. And it's never -- the public has never been allowed in.

So that was what was truly historic. Just then we had TV cameras in that moment, which you've never seen before, a glimpse into the heart really of the British establishment. So, an amazing moment. And it seems very dry, but it's solemn. And it's today is Charles's day.

People would have noticed that the flags that were at half-staff after the Queen's death have been raised to full staff and they will remain there until tomorrow because today isn't about looking back on the previous monarchy, it's looking ahead to the King's monarchy, and that will keep flitting until we build up to the ultimate day of remembering the Queen which will be the state funeral.

LEMON: Kate, speaking of looking forward, you know, people say new technology, new money, is this new monarchy.

WILLIAMS: This is a new monarchy. I mean, for me as a historian, having watched this cataclysmic huge moment the transition of power, and having studied the Queen succession Council, she the Initial Accession Council, she, of course, wouldn't be there she was talking about from Kenya and her speech, and now Charles's speech, her speech was -- his speech was so significant to her, but his broadcast all over the world, the cameras in there, as Max was saying, and yet so much of it was traditional.

It was being announced, as it always has been from St. James's Palace, and then in the world exchange, and this I think it's just shows the mix of old and new that Charles, I think wishes to embody both traditional and also really being a new media monarch and this is a monarch in the media age and digital age.

LEMON: Does this offer the monarchy and the people of the Commonwealth is a sort of push an opportunity to move into the future?

[08:05:06]

WILLIAMS: Yes, I think this is the future. And I think the Commonwealth is to cause Charles's biggest question as we move forward into the future countries who no longer wish to have a monarch as the head of state, the Commonwealth, I think will fragment and change. Charles is key job is overseeing that, I think, as in his monarchy.

LEMON: You said this is the future. Talk more about that. WILLIAMS: Charles' future. I think the Commonwealth is, I think that countries like Barbados, Barbados, no longer have the monarchs head of state last year, other countries have talked about this, Jamaica, Australia, and Antigua believe, I think it's really going to be the case in the next 10 years or so quite a lot of countries will no longer have the monarch as head of state.

And with that the Commonwealth will change. It has been the great unity, the Great, the great guiding light for the Queen, but that was post empire and many young people, particularly in the Commonwealth, 2.1 billion people, 54 countries, they do feel that parts of the Commonwealth were founded in the oppression and exploitation of empire. And also, there are other countries than Britain that they wish to apply to.

So, overseeing that change, I think will be Charles's most significant job as a monarch.

LEMON: What do you think the overall sentiment is? And it could be both, right? Is it optimism or is it uncertainty among the people?

FOSTER: I think, in the UK, the monarch is still incredibly strong. And I think there's still -- I mean, we're certain riding (ph) sadness about the Queen, I think that's going to take a very long time to get used to when she's not there, when we need her.

I think it's waiting to see in relation to King Charles. But so far, the speech was pretty good, wasn't it? So far, he seems to be modernizing in a subtle way. And he seems to have got approve, he's getting cheers from crowds. I mean, how else do we measure it?

I think Kate's point about the Commonwealth, and particularly the rounds is really important. I've traveled with them to the Caribbean or the Royals. And the challenge they've got is that they can't apologize for the role that Britain undoubtedly had central role in slave -- the slave trade, because it has to be the government because then they would have to pay the reparations, but they can address it.

The problem is when they're not responding to it, and you're in these countries, and people talk about racism, they, its -- they become a touchstone for slavery and racism. And they don't respond to it, which is frustrating to people, but they can't respond to it.

So, as I spoke to you about in Rwanda and expressed sorrow for Britain's role in the slave trade, Prince Charles, as he was then, it frustrated people because they wanted him to say sorry, and it felt like he wouldn't say sorry.

And it's trying to get around that he's not doing that. They've got to find some way haven't they of not taking all of the anxiety around the slave trade? Not consuming it all themselves? Because -- well, I mean, that's their challenge. And also, you know, whatever way it goes.

And it's nothing to do with my views. It's just if they can't address this link that's been created between the British monarchy and the slave trade, and therefore racism, I think that that's hard. WILLIAMS: Yes --

LEMON: Respond to this, but where's this on their priority list? He says, this is one of their challenges. Where's this on the list of challenges and priorities?

WILLIAMS: I think this has to be very high on their priority list. Considering the earlier tours this year of the Caribbean and how badly they went down, they were seen as colonial is going to be a key question that's on their list. Of course, the Governor General was were invited today's meeting, the Governor Generals of Australia and other realms.

And they will be having conversations with Charles over the next few days, we expect him to meet the prime minister today and other members of cabinet, but he will be talking to representatives in the other realms. And I think this is going to be a really high point on the agenda of coats such as Prime Minister Andrew Holmes of Jamaica, this is what they're going to be talking about. And it will mean a lot.

And I think that when you think of the Queen's state visit to Republic of Ireland in 2011, when she talked about things that should have been done differently and things that shouldn't have been done at all in terms of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the actions of the British Army, those I think are the kinds of things they will have beginning to say, as we move forward. And this is, you know, Charles has many challenges on his plate.

Britain is a country full of challenges. It's been pomp, it's been circumstance, it's been magnificent today, but there also is, you know, as he said, in his own speech, it's a heavy task on his shoulders.

LEMON: Go with me with this moment. As you're speaking, you see me looking over my shoulder and looking over our shoulders here. I mean, there is a line a procession of people almost to a person meant I shouldn't say to a person that many of them carrying flowers, and talk to me about what is going on here.

FOSTER: Well, these people trying to do what they can to express (INAUDIBLE) that may -- they, you know, it's just an instinctive thing, you buy some flowers, you come down here and you lay them.

I think, you know, that so what's happened in the past, the flowers have gathered there and they built out and now, now they want to avoid that this time because it's a health and safety issue. So, they take all the flowers, and they're placing them in a flower garden they've created over in Green Park and I think that's going to be quite spectacular.

LEMON: I seen by that as I enter every day and I mean, it is growing and growing and growing. Pretty soon they're going to have to move on from there and find another place.

[08:10:01] FOSTER: They'll never forget going up to see the flowers outside Kensington Palace when Princess Diana died and I remember standing there and there's this eerie silence and people were just wailing looking at these flowers. I think when we get to the

point where it's a sea of flowers, I think that's going to become the focal point actually.

LEMON: My pictures now, lawmakers, UK lawmakers swearing their allegiance to the King now. Talk to me about this Max, take us behind the scenes here.

FOSTER: So, when you -- the Queen is an element of Parliament, there's the Commons, there's the Lords and there's the Queen. You have to swear allegiance to the crown in order to be able to sit in the House of Commons. They have all made committed over to the Queen. They now have to recommit to the King. Is that right Kate?

WILLIAMS: Yes, that's right. And the Queen -- the king and queens role is so crucial in Parliament. You were talking earlier about whether or not we have too much prompting Britain and it the parliament is the key place we always remember that when they -- when the Queen opens the parliament, some MPs -- an MP has to come to Buckingham Palace.

Do you remember when Charles I who got on the wrong side of the bankers, that's why you have to go to the wall exchange. When Charles I tried to take MPs prisoners he fell out so badly with parliament and then lost his head. So, you've got to keep on the right side of the MPs.

LEMON: It's really interesting. I want to listen into one of these because each of them raises their right hands read something and then they have to recite it. So, let's -- can we listen in.

UNDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) will be grateful and that truly is (INAUDIBLE) according to laws. So, help me God. (INAUDIBLE).

UNDENTIFIED MALE: I swear by the --

LEMON: So, member must do this, raise their right hand and say the short pledge. The short or --

WILLIAMS: Yes, that's right. Each of them must do this. We saw some of the major politicians, for example, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and also the First Minister of Wales, and the Prime Minister this morning signing the proclamation. This is they are now vowing their allegiance to the King. Because the King is politically neutral.

The King stays out of Parliament, the King is not allowed, you know only on that stent opening can the King go into parliament. But it's very important his role. He is the head of our Constitution, the politically neutral head, and they swear allegiance to the King and their way of swearing allegiance to the country to their role as representatives.

LEMON: Is this is just here, this is happening in other parts of the continent?

FOSTER: In the realms, they do the same. And famously, just few months ago, an Australian MP refused to swear an oath to the Queen. But they will have to do this in every parliament in 15 countries --

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: We're having growing amounts of MPs in various countries who will say we're not going to -- we're not going to swear. But the reasons we were just discussing earlier, Don, give us questions about colonialism, the suffering of indigenous peoples particularly, these matters are coming up again and again, when it comes to swearing allegiance to the monarch.

FOSTER: She represented an indigenous community in Australia.

LEMON: Yes. It's very important. That's why I said why is -- where's this on the list? You said it's a challenge. Where's it on the priority list --

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: (INAUDIBLE) but it's glacial as everything is with monarchy. I think that they got to the point now where they -- I think they're going to, if I was a member of the royal family, I would think twice about doing a royal tour --

WILLIAMS: Yes.

FOSTER: -- to the Caribbean and parts of Africa. Because every Republican group in those places or camps, you know, reparation campaign has basically come at it. And that one of the issues, I mean, it's so sensitive.

And I mean, the thing about the Caribbean, when Kate and William got in such trouble in Jamaica, is that they were asked by the Jamaican government to recreate a moment which was from the 1950s, which was the Queen on the back of the Land Rover and he was in, they did it and William was in full military uniform, the back of the Land Rover going past a group of people of color. And this optics of it were just horrendous.

LEMON: Yes.

FOSTER: And, you know, they had thought about it, but he came back and he said, it's going to reflect on everything that happened on that tour, because it does hurt people to see that when they immediately relate it to the Empire, and the horrific things that happened. And that, you know, much of the wealth, not much of the wealth, but --

WILLIAMS: Yes, a lot.

FOSTER: A lot of the wealth is actually built on that.

WILLIAMS: Yes. And you think about the Queen when she came to the throne in Kenya. I mean, what a fantastic moment. But also, Kenya was really fighting hard for independence, a bloody battle between the British Army and the Kenyan freedom fighters until 1963 well into the Queen's reign. And these questions are really at the forefront of a lot of minds.

The prime minister of Jamaica Andrew Holmes gave this beautiful tribute to the Queen talking about how we be comforting brothers and sisters across the Commonwealth, he really did see her service, but that doesn't mean that very quickly he's not going to be saying I do think Jamaica should be a Republic. It's quite complicated in a lot of countries, constitutionally complicated but the I think we'd agree Max that the public desire, the public well and the political will is there to make this change.

(CROSSTALK)

[08:15:21]

FOSTER: The optics of a royal tour, they're going to have to rethink royal tours, how they carried out.

LEMON: Yes. We'll continue these conversations. Thank you very much, Max. Thank you, Kate. Appreciate it.

You know, he was just one of more than a dozen presidents at Queen Elizabeth II met during her reign. President Biden's plan, President Biden's plan to attend the funeral, we're going to talk about that, what it could mean for former presidents. Our special coverage continues.

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LEMON: We're back now the CNN special coverage as England's Commonwealth is mourning the death of their former Queen.

[08:20:02]

No announcement has been made yet when the Queen's funeral will be held, but many of the world's leaders are expected to attend and including the President of the United States Joe Biden.

CNN's White House reporter Jasmine Wright is live for us this morning with President Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, and she joins us now.

Jasmine, what's the very latest. Good morning to you by the way.

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Good morning, Don. While President Biden answered a resounding yes. When he was asked whether or not he'd be attending the funeral, though he said he did not have any of the details. And there is no surprise there that the President would say he's going without an official invitation going out or at least word of it because of all of the praise that he has been heaping on to the Queen after her passing.

Now, we know that Biden said that on Friday, he had not yet spoken to King Charles. But as of Friday, preparations or at least initial preparations, Don were underway at the White House to make sure that the President would make it to London for that funeral. But when it comes to the specific invites, that gets a little tricky.

Now, former presidents are not expected to receive their individual invitations according to sources. Instead, how it will go is that the White House itself will get one invitation. Now of course, President Biden could choose to bring along his own delegation as we know that the Queen throughout her time in her reign she met with a lot of presidents especially those recent presidents President Biden, former President Trump, President Obama, the list goes on and on.

So, he could decide to bring a delegation, though White House officials caution that no decisions have been made. Though initial discussions are happening. Notices will be made until a formal invite is received from the palace. Don.

LEMON: Jasmine, thank you very much. I appreciate that.

I want to bring in some of our other guests now, Jack Royston is Newsweek's chief royal correspondent and the co-host of the Royals Podcast, as well as our British broadcaster and journalist Bidisha Mamata. Good to see both of you. Thank you very much.

Jack, pomp and circumstances, pomp and circumstances just say playing out. But this is real tradition. And this is important to the people of the Commonwealth.

JACK ROYSTON, CHIEF ROYAL CORRESPONDENT, NEWSWEEK: Yes, absolutely. Yes. It's very important to the people to the Commonwealth. And like you say, you know, you've got Joe Biden coming to the funeral is a figure who met the Queen, twice in quick succession in 2021. And, you know, U.S. presidents are hugely important.

For British people. They're important for the Queen. She's met everyone except for LBJ. And, you know, the, we've had serious moments, we've had amusing moments, she had a moment with George Bush Senior where she came to give a speech at the White House, and the microphone was stood too high. So, people couldn't see her face when she was on screen.

But we've also had some really disarming moments when Michelle Obama obviously hugged the Queen, which obviously, technically on paper is a breach of protocol, but the Queen hugs her back, which showed the enormous warmth between the two women.

LEMON: I was going to say, I think the Queen didn't mind.

ROYSTON: She did not, no.

LEMON: Yes, people it get, you know, so caught up in the tradition. And this isn't supposed to happen. And this is was it, and what do you call them, don't say King of England, stop it. I mean, he is the King of England. I mean, people shorthand everything is like you say, the Prince of Wales, even though he has other titles.

It is what it is. So, and everyone gets so caught up. And that's what we're moving into the future when it comes to the monarchy now and the days of old, where people get so caught up in the exact titles or the way things were this monarchy, this particular rain and machine, they want to move on into the future.

BIDISHA MAMATA, BRITISH BROADCASTER AND CURRENT AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: I think that's absolutely clear. And you're completely right. Charles knows he's king.

LEMON: Right.

MAMATA: We know that he's king.

LEMON: He's king.

MAMATA: We're never going to make a mistake about that.

LEMON: Thank you.

MAMATA: And in fact, in his speech, he made it very clear that we're at a midpoint. Except that the midpoint was 1,000s of years of history, but let's just say the last 70 years, he was honoring his mother. But we now need to look forward to the next 70 years. Tradition is exactly what you make it, you can tweak it, you have to move with the times.

In fact, the lesson that the Queen has to teach King Charles is you can start off completely green, like a newbie, and you make it your mission to be reactive to the times you move, and you change and you learn and your values when you're 21 are not the same as your values when you're 40, 50 and 60.

You greatly gained in wisdom, and you have a sense of being part of a long line of history. And King Charles knows that. And he's promising us that this institution, which has been so criticized in so many ways and is scrutinized by everyone all the time, will not be stuck in the past.

LEMONS: It says a lot about old thinking and new thinking. What's the young folks right, what's their relationship to the monarchy now? Who wants to take that one on?

[08:24:59]

ROYSTON: So young people in Britain have a -- have historically very recently had a more divided view of the monarchy than historically. I mean, you know, going back many years everybody, monarchy hugely popular across a whole wide cross section of British society.

Now, in the time after Oprah, this changed, that's a bit and young people, you know, the youngest generation, Gen Z became slightly more divided. Some polling had them very marginally in favor of abolishing the monarchy, for example.

But I think obviously, what's going to happen now is with the public mourning around the Queen passing away, you'll probably see that even among that younger generation, people start to rally around the monarchy again, and we'll see whether a new view emerges of King Charles and we'll see whether some of those opinions maybe soften a little bit in the months to come. LEMON: And that will be whether abolishing the monarchy or what have you, whatever it is, that's going on, that is dependent on how they handle this moment, right, Bidisha?

MAMATA: I think that's true, but I also don't think that's a red-hot touch point. In fact, as I was just listening, I was thinking that the King Charles is quite busy lineal, actually. I mean, he cares about the environment.

He cares about town planning, he's been talking for years about social mobility and inequality, the princess trust was a really wasn't is a really pioneering organization, which lead -- which reaches out to disadvantaged youths in a very constructive way without patronizing and that's very hard to do. If you're as rich and famous as Prince now, King Charles.

So, I think he's very on board with the 21st century program. He's all about a greener and less meaner future.

LEMON: But how does one do that when, you know, as everyone I've been speaking to all of the experts say they're not -- the King is not supposed to be political at all. They consider some of the issues that he has been fighting for that he's an advocate for political.

MAMATA: The sun is burning our soil or being inappropriately hot when it's winter. Affects us all whether we're left, right or center, or however we vote. I think a lot of the King's interests are really not political. I think they're, they're social, they're to do with inequality, they're to do with justice, they're to do with how can we raise up the maximum number of people.

I don't think poverty is that political party political. After all, of course, he shouldn't be meddling in Parliament. Although I love the idea that one day, he just pop up on a YouTube channel and say, I totally disagree with Liz Truss. But I don't think he's going to do that.

Talking about the environment, talking about poverty, these are things we should all be concerned about.

LEMON: Jack?

ROYSTON: So yes, let's get round for him on the environment in particular, which is that the government is going to have to tackle the climate change. But you know, America's tackling climate change, Britain is going to have to tackle climate change. So, if there is a desire on the part of his Prime Minister, for him to make an intervention, then that creates a pathway through which he can do it and have that shield.

You know, and there have been times when the Queen's done that David Cameron asked her to make an intervention on the Scottish referendum. And she said something incredibly nuanced to a member of the public at church in Scotland, which was then fed back to the media.

So, you know, if there is a political will, for him to help a government effort to tackle climate change, and then that gives him a pathway for doing it.

LEMON: Is there any indication in the speeches that he's given so far, at least, well, the one speech that he gave, and, you know, we've heard him talking, there's sort of a hot mic moment, so to speak, nothing negative is saying, you know, this is a day that he dread. Any indication of how he's going to do this, that you guys.

ROYSTON: So, he's probably dampened expectations that he will make any kind of political intervention, he's sort of said that he would have to be less passionate about some of the issues he cares about, and less involved. But also, I think, you know, he back in 2018, he promised that he wouldn't be kind of, quote, meddling King, and said, I'm not that stupid.

So, I think he has been preparing for this moment and to give this caveat for a long time, and he wasn't going to not give it now. But if the government want help dealing with climate change, and it's an issue he is passionate about, I find it hard to see the last word.

LEMON: Any last word?

MAMATA: I think that he's very passionately concerned about unity, and that he's going to do whatever it takes to get us over this very divided and worrisome time. And that means butting out of Parliament's but it means leaning into common human rights, values, peace, security, and world community.

LEMON: Thank you, Bidisha. Thank you, Jack, I really appreciate it.

So, we're going to continue our coverage here because people across the Commonwealth and mourning Queen Elizabeth II, reaction this morning as Charles III is officially announced king.

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[08:33:40]

LEMON: Their Commonwealth in mourning, the death of their former Queen. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other government figures laying (INAUDIBLE) at the base of Queen Elizabeth statue in Canberra. And mourners at Sydney's Government House paying their respects in flowers.

CNN's Angus Watson joins me now. Angus hello to you. Tell us more about the reaction you're hearing.

ANGUS WATSON, CNN NEWSDESK PRODUCER: Well Don, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that you mentioned there has led Australians in two days of solemn remembrance for Queen Elizabeth II who of course, served this country as head of state for seven decades. We've been watching the proclamation ceremony there for King Charles III.

Australia will have its own version of that tomorrow morning when King Charles will officially become head of state here in Australia. That's not without its controversies. There's a growing Republican movement here in Australia, which believes that an Australian should hold that role as head of state.

It's an issue that Queen Elizabeth II had to deal with in 1999, there was a referendum asking Australians this question, and overwhelmingly they voted to keep the Queen as the head of state. But it's an issue that King Charles II will have to deal with throughout his reign.

[08:34:58]

For now, though, Don, there is a solemn feeling here in Australia as people remember the life of service that Queen Elizabeth gave them, Don.

LEMON: All right, thank you very much for that. Angus, we appreciate it.

I want to toss it back now to my colleagues, Boris and Amara of what a mourning it has been here in London watching all of the pomp and circumstance and pageantry, but also the exchange of power, the peaceful exchange of power, and with the circumstances and things that they really need to do to move from one reign to another here, it has been an educational process, and one that it's been very interesting to watch.

And also very important is that there are 1,000s of folks who are behind me, who have been waiting for hours and hours and hours just to get a glimpse of the new King and the Queen Consort. And they certainly got to do that this morning. There's much more to come throughout the day. And of course, as you guys know, in the coming days as well.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: A historic moment across the pond and bittersweet as you noted too Don, as the country mourns the loss of Queen Elizabeth and looks forward to a new future under a new king.

Don Lemon from London, thank you so much.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: What a treat it's been Don. Thank you.

SANCHEZ: So, as we continue to follow the historic day in the UK, we're also keeping a close eye on a number of stories here at home, including the record heat (INAUDIBLE) that's putting a strain on California's electric grid.

WALKER: Yes, so what does that mean for the state's move to ban gas powered cars? Can the grid support the switch to all electric vehicles? More on that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:41:16]

SANCHEZ: Californians are weathering one of the worst heat waves in history. Wildfires are raging throughout the state and the threat of rotating power outages continues. Right now, officials say firefighters are battling 11 major wildfires across California. WALKER: Southern California' Fairview fire has exploded in size burning over 28,000 acres and forcing 1,000s of evacuations since it began on Monday. The fast-moving fire has already taken the lives of two people.

Since the beginning of the year, over 272,000 acres have burned in California. And amid record breaking temperatures out west. California's governor has signed new legislation creating the nation's first extreme heat advanced warning and ranking system. The new legislation comes after residents in the Golden State were advised for a 10th day in a row to lower their electricity usage, to ease the strain on California's power grid.

Here with me now is former Long Beach, California Mayor Bob Foster. He's also the former chairman of the board governing California's electric grid. Good morning to you. Thank you so much for joining us.

You know, I've been talking to my friends out west. I'm from California born and raised. It's insane how crazy how hot it has gotten over, you know, the last several years, it's been getting warmer and warmer. The demand for electricity has been increasing. And my question is how has or has California been preparing for its electric grid to be put under this kind of pressure.

BOB FOSTER, FMR CALIFORNIA MAYOR: The state actually has done quite a bit both the regulators and the utilities are primarily hardening the grid through increasing the amount of storage they have. So, batteries are being installed, several 1,000 megawatts of batteries are being installed.

And the importance there is that you actually have a lot of installed capacity during the day. If you'll notice those urging to people to conserve energy occurs from four o'clock in the afternoon to nine o'clock at night. And when the when you get towards sunset, the solar energy systems don't produce as much.

And you have to have other systems throttle up, if you can store energy during the daylight hours where there's plenty of capacity, and shift that battery storage to the evening. That's what really has to be done.

So, the hardening of the grid is taking place both in terms of the wire side of it, and the storage side of it. It just takes time to install like capacity.

WALKER: So, and how much time? And I asked this because we know, you know that California has really been on the forefront of, you know, climate policies, including one that would include the banning of new cars that are gas powered by 2035. But if you don't have an electric grid that can hold up at this point, you know, how do you think California is being too ambitious too quickly?

FOSTER: No, I actually think that it's being -- it's doing the right thing. Look, it just makes sense to be able to produce electricity or operate your transportation systems without throwing emissions into the air. And I think they've mapped this out pretty good. It's good to hope to be at 100% carbon free energy by 2045. So, there's a fair amount of time to get this done. But truth is we already have I think half the electric cars in the country are now in California.

WALKER: Right.

FOSTER: So, grid primarily is holding up really well. When you get these long-protracted heatwaves and they happen you know once maybe twice a year, it's actually been a pretty cool summer up until recently, you have to deal with that. So, the emergency part of it is urging people take voluntary measures to lower their energy use.

The engineering part of it is to be able to increase the system's capacity to take that solar energy in particular that's generated during the daylight hours and store it. So, you can use it when you need it from 4 to 8, 4 to 8 or 4 to 9 o'clock.

[08:45:32]

So, you know, I think the state is, is doing a remarkable job. Now, look, there going to be bumps in the road along the way, nothing is perfect. This doesn't, you can't expect perfection here. But I think the state has embarked on the right policy.

I do think that you have to be very clear headed about the resources you add, in the near term, you'll notice that California has passed legislation to keep Diablo Canyon, the only remaining nuclear plant online for an extended at least five years. So that gives 2,200 megawatts, some resources that it can use.

So, I think everyone's working very hard to keep this grid stable, and to improve in the future. And I'm confident that we can do this.

WALKER: So you're -- so just (INAUDIBLE) nuclear plan is kind of unnecessary evil, at least in the short term.

FOSTER: Well, I hate to say necessarily evil, I just think it's -- look, California has embarked on an ambitious new policy that no one else in the world has done. And it's done it fairly well. I mean, it's we've had this policy in progress for about 10 years. And with rare exception, it's, it's operated pretty smoothly. There are issues, there will be issues, you got to address him with all the engineering talent that you have. And we're doing that.

Look, everybody has criticisms of the system at one time. But what's disturbing to me to be candid, and I see this all over the country. As soon as you get a glitch in the system, people automatically start to blame renewables. This that's not the problem. It's not the renewables that are the problem. California renewables work extraordinarily well.

WALKER: Yes.

FOSTER: It's the cheapest source we have, by the way. And I think that the future is we're embarked on the right path.

WALKER: It's just before 3:00 a.m. in Kona, Hawaii. So, we really appreciate you staying up with us. Bob Foster, thanks for the conversation. We'll be right back.

FOSTER: Thank you.

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[08:51:45]

WALKER: King Charles III has officially been proclaimed the king and head of the Commonwealth. It is a formal transfer of power, centuries old and steeped in symbolism, and for the first-time live television cameras captured the tradition.

SANCHEZ: The proclamation confirming King Charles as king was signed by members of his Privy Council including Prince William, who you see there, the new Prince of Wales, and Camilla the Queen Consort. Looking on were British Prime Minister, Liz Truss as well as former British Prime Ministers, Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Tony Blair there as well. After we're the King address the council paying tribute to the late Queen, and pledging himself a life of service.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING CHARLES III: I, 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 the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers, and that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss.

To all of us as a family, as to this kingdom, and the wider family of nations, of which it is a part, my mother gave me an example of lifelong love and of selfless service. 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.

I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty, which have now passed to me. In taking up these responsibilities, I shall strive to follow the inspiring example. I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands and of the Commonwealth realms and territories throughout the world.

In this purpose, I know that I shall be upheld by the affection and loyalty of the peoples whose sovereign I have been called upon to be and that in the discharge of these duties, I will be guided by the Council of their elected Parliaments.

In all this, I am profoundly encouraged by the constant support of my beloved wife.

[08:55:03]

I take this opportunity to confirm my willingness and intention to continue the tradition of surrendering the hereditary revenues, including the Crown Estate, to my government, for the benefit of all, in return for the sovereign grant, which supports my official duties as head of state and head of nation. 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.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A historic moment for the United Kingdom unfolding before our eyes. We're grateful that you joined us this morning. We should note our special coverage of the official proclamation of King Charles III continues.

WALKER: For now, "SMERCONISH" is up next after a quick break, and we will see you right back here in an hour. Have a good morning.

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