The “ER” monogram of the late Queen Elizabeth II is still ubiquitous in Great Britain: on letters, for example. Gradually, however, it is to be exchanged for the symbol of the new king.
It is a symbol that will visually mark the new era of the United Kingdom: Buckingham Palace has the official monogram of King Charles III. presented. It consists of a C for Charles, an R for “Rex” (Latin for “king”), the numeral III within the letter R, and the symbol of the crown.
The post office at Buckingham Palace plans to frank the first letter with the new monogram this Tuesday. Annually, the office handles around 200,000 mail items from the Palace, including many invitations or replies to greeting cards or letters. The monogram, known as “Cypher” in English, will also appear on government agencies, government documents and mailboxes in the months and years to come.
However, it is likely to be a long time before the “ER” monogram of Charles’ late mother Queen Elizabeth II disappears from the image of British cities. The monogram will only be replaced gradually, for example when mailboxes are exchanged anyway.
The first banknotes bearing the image of the new King Charles III. will not be put into circulation in the UK until mid-2024, the Bank of England announced on Tuesday. The portrait is to be presented at the end of this year. The UK’s central bank has announced that the monarch’s likeness will be printed on new £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes. Otherwise “no further changes would be made”. The old banknotes with the Queen’s likeness will remain in circulation and will only be taken out of circulation if damaged in order to “minimise the ecological and financial impact of the change of monarch” at the request of the royal family.
