Buckingham Palace has unveiled the new royal cypher of King Charles III, which will appear on British government buildings, state documents and mailboxes.
The sovereign’s monogram consists of the intertwining initials “C” and “R,” representing his name “Charles” and “Rex,” the Latin word for king. Because the King is the third Charles to reign, “III” has been put in the middle of the “R.”
A crown appears above the letters – and, in Scotland, this will be the Scottish crown.
The King personally chose the design from a range produced by the College of Arms, the palace said.
Charles’ cypher replaces the “E II R” of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8 after 70 years on the throne.
The Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace will stamp its first items of mail using the new cypher on Tuesday, the palace added.
Meanwhile, the Royal Mint, the official maker of UK coins, said Tuesday that it will release details of the coinage bearing the new King’s image in the coming weeks. The new coins will circulate alongside coins and banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II, it added.
Updated banknotes featuring a portrait of the King will be revealed by the end of the year, the Bank of England said in a statement, adding that the notes are expected to enter circulation by mid-2024. The central bank said the new banknotes will only be printed to replace worn notes or to meet increased demand.
Postage stamps will also be updated to feature an image of the King, Royal Mail, the British postal service, announced Tuesday.
Details of the image that will be used and when it will be released will be revealed in due course, Royal Mail said. The new stamps will enter circulation once current stocks run out, it said.
