As Charles III, the new King, replaces the Queen’s picture and symbol on banknotes, letterboxes, and stamps, a variety of ordinary goods in Britain will undergo alterations.
The replacement of British money won’t happen suddenly; it will take years while new coins and notes bearing the image of the King are produced and the old ones are progressively phased out of use.
New coins will have the King facing left instead of the Queen, whose portrait now faces right. This is because it has been customary for succeeding kings to face in a different direction since the 17th century.
The year after her coronation, 1953, saw the introduction of the Queen’s coinage.
Before the decimalisation of British coinage in 1971, it was usual to discover many monarchs facing opposite directions in a handful of change.
It will be necessary to design, print, and mint the new coins and notes. The Chancellor must then approve any new coin suggestions made by the Royal Mint advisory council. The King and Chancellor are next consulted before selecting the final designs.
Additionally, stamps include a picture of the Queen, and new ones will need to be made with the King’s face on them, with the older ones being progressively phased away.
Charles will once again need to provide his approval for the designs even if he may have previously posed for the sculptures or portraits.
It is doubtful that the Queen’s ER (for “Elizabeth Regina,” Latin for “Queen,”) cypher will be removed from Royal Mail postboxes; in fact, several still carry the GR (for “George Rex,” Latin for “King,”) cypher, which belonged to the Queen’s father King George VI. However, any future postboxes may have the new King’s crest.
‘Following the demise of HM Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Mail has verified that stamps containing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s picture remain valid for usage,’ a representative for Royal Mail stated.
These include special stamps and definitive stamps, which are common or “everyday” stamps.
As was previously stated, these stamps are still valid until the end of January 2023 notwithstanding the addition of barcodes to regular stamps.
All of the previously announced special stamps will be printed, albeit some may have a different publication date.
All current post boxes will stay the same, as has been custom after the passing of a monarch.
Post boxes with Queen Elizabeth II insignia currently in production or being readied for installation will also keep them.
The R used to represent the Crown in criminal court trials is now Rex rather than Regina.
The title of barristers and lawyers selected by the queen will change from Queen’s Counsel (QC) to King’s Counsel, another shift in legal concerns (KC).
The move was instantaneous, according to a spokesman for the Bar Council, which represents barristers.
The KC initials were adopted by Bar Council chairman Mark Fenhalls in a statement made after the Queen’s passing on Thursday afternoon at the age of 96.
The General Council of the Bar of England and Wales officers, members, and employees, he stated, “stand with colleagues across the legal professions in grieving the death of our country’s most committed public servant.”
“Throughout a protracted, devoted, and unwavering reign, Queen Elizabeth II personified the archetypal role of the person whose name justice is administered with utmost honesty.
I’ve written to His Majesty the King to express our heartfelt sympathies.
The Criminal Bar Association unites with the legal professions across the Commonwealth in mourning the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, said Kirsty Brimelow KC, the head of the association.
In addition to expressing our sincere condolences to His Majesty the King and the royal family, we pay respect to the Queen’s enduring and genuine public service.
We observe the transition from Queen’s Counsel to King’s Counsel with grief and devotion to justice.
Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Her Majesty the Queen, passed away peacefully at Balmoral at the age of 96.
Now that Charles is king, his image will eventually take the place of his mother’s on coins, bills, and stamps.
The announcement of the Queen’s passing was “of profound regret for all judicial office holders in England & Wales, throughout the United Kingdom, and beyond the Commonwealth,” according to Lord Burnett of Maldon, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, on Thursday evening.
“During the seven decades of her reign, Her Majesty has served our nation and the Commonwealth in a way that is unmatched,” he said.
I have no doubt that many of you will wish to show your respect in the days to come.
During the time of national grief, “guidance will follow on any adjustments to court and tribunal business.”
The National Anthem’s lyrics have now been changed to “God save our gracious King.”
Military medals with the Queen’s effigy will need to be changed, and police and military uniforms with the Queen’s cypher will probably eventually be replaced with the new King’s cypher, which is the monogram used on official papers and royal seals. The Queen’s ERII is seen on vintage police helmets.
At some time, the text of UK passports will be modified and issued in the name of the next King.
As with HM Armed Forces and HM Prison Service, Her Majesty’s Passport Office will change its name to His Majesty’s Passport Office.
Charles will also alter his signature. Previously, it was only “Charles,” but going forward, an extra R will be added at the end for Rex. He will also need a new personal flag as King.
The Queen chose a personal flag in 1960, which is a gold E with the royal crown encircled by a chaplet of roses on a blue background, to fly on any structure, ship, automobile, or aircraft she was staying in or travelling in.
When she toured Commonwealth nations, she often utilised it. The Queen’s personal flag was exclusive to her, but the Royal Standard represented both the Sovereign and the United Kingdom.
The royal coat of arms, which was adopted at the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign in 1837, will stay the same throughout this time. Nevertheless, it is expected that new artwork will be released early in Charles’s reign by the College of Arms for use by public sector organisations like the civil service and the armed services, much as when the Queen became the king.
The possibility to replace outdated graphics that have been in use for many years with fresh, differently stylized ones is represented by the “very light rebranding,” which will be difficult to notice.
When the Duke of Cambridge is named the Prince of Wales, a title he does not automatically inherit, he will also get an upgraded coat of arms.