Coins, banknotes and stamps will now bear the image of the new monarch. “God Save the King” was heard for the first time this Friday.
Seventy years later, UK coins, banknotes and stamps will once again bear the face of a monarch. Shortly after Elizabeth II’s death was announced, changes to royal symbols began. A more direct change was resolved this Friday by changing the national anthem to “God Save the King (Raja)” to reflect the change of king.
The day after the Queen took her last breath, Charles III gave his first speech as king and the new national anthem since 1745, which was heard at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. , where a Mass was held in honor of Elizabeth II. However, the king’s death would create a series of other changes which, according to protocol, must be followed to the letter.
As far as religious matters were concerned, the Queen was the “Guardian of the Faith and Supreme Governor” of the Anglican Church, which would change. The prayers inscribed in the Book of Common Prayer are to be changed, as they refer to Isabel II, and now, the highest post of the institution will be handed over to the new monarch.
A two-year transition
After the longest reign in UK history, it will be very difficult to erase the Queen’s image from stamps, coins, banknotes or flags. As of February 2021, there were 4.5 billion banknotes and £80 billion worth of coins in circulation, and the changeover could take two years, as it did when Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952.
While the letters EIIR, the abbreviation for Elizabeth II Regina, will be affixed to the mailboxes, the monarch’s face will also appear on the stamps, which will also be replaced, leading to a portrait of Charles III.
As for the flags that mention the abbreviation EIIR, they should be changed from where they are loaded.
On the other hand, the text on the cover of a UK passport issued in the name of the Crown should update the text that appears on Australian, Canadian and New Zealand passports.
As for the royal arms, with a lion and a unicorn reclining on a shield, it is not yet known whether they will be changed, as the change would mean too much cost to the state exchequer. The arms are widely used on government facilities and, given a new face, will represent Wales to represent Charles III.
As for the community she presides over, the Commonwealth, it may also undergo political changes, as some of the other 14 countries where the Queen is head of state will need to adjust their constitutions. The expected changes will have to be verified through referendums in states like Jamaica and Belize. In countries like Australia, New Zealand or Canada, Charles III would automatically become king.
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