Queen’s Representative Sir Tom Marsters will now be referred to as the King’s Representative following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

In a statement, the Office of the Head of State said: “Consequent to the passing of our late Sovereign, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II - His Excellency Sir Tom Marsters is now the King’s Representative.”

“Whilst much sympathy and deepest sorrow was expressed by Sir Tom at the ‘passing away’ of Her majesty, His Excellency now holds faith to be serving new sovereign in the reign of His Royal Majesty King Charles III.”

Publicly popular around the title of the sovereign being represented in the Cook Islands is the abbreviation of “QR”. Such abbreviation has effectively become “KR”, the statement said.

“The abbreviated ‘KR’ might take some time getting used to as would everything else that will be required over time to take effective change, it is this abbreviation however, that takes effect forthwith in the reign of our new Sovereign, his Majesty, King Charles III.”

Meanwhile the Office of the Prime Minister in a statement said the Governor-General of New Zealand, Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro will today proclaim the new Sovereign, His Royal Highness Prince Charles Philip Arthur George as now King Charles the Third, By the Grace of God King of New Zealand and of His Other Realms and Territories.

The Proclamation of Accession ceremony will be held on the steps of the New Zealand Parliament, in Wellington at 2.30pm on Saturday 11 September (Cook Islands time). The Cook Islands will be represented at this ceremony by High Commissioner to New Zealand, HE Elizabeth (Liz) Koteka. 

“To mark His Majesty’s accession to the throne, the Cook Islands Flag is to be flown at full mast on Proclamation Day (today) on all Government and public buildings. This instruction applies to all Government departments, buildings and naval vessels which have flag poles and normally fly the Cook Islands Flag,” the statement said.

“On the day following Proclamation Day, (Sunday) the Cook Islands Flag should be returned to half-mast and continue to be flown at half-mast up to and including the day of the State Memorial Service in Rarotonga of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Further advice as to the date of Her late Majesty’s State Memorial Service in Rarotonga will be provided once confirmed.