Why King Charles used new signature for the first time after being proclaimed as monarch
10.09.2022 - 14:21
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
King Charles III has used a new signature for the first time after being formally proclaimed as monarch at the Accession Council. During the first part of the meeting, His Majesty's role as King and regal name were confirmed in front of many important attendees, including Queen Consort Camilla and heir to the throne Prince William.
The event was televised for the first time ever, with Queen Elizabeth II's happening behind closed doors 70 years ago, which gave us incredible insight into the formal process, the Mirror reports. The new King followed a tradition going back centuries by signing the declaration with 'Charles R' - but he added the letter for a different reason to his late mother.
The Queen used the signature 'Elizabeth R' on official documents - but it's not to represent a secret name. It actually stands for 'regina', which means 'queen' in Latin - and because Charles is King, his 'R' stands for 'rex'.
The tradition of signing with the initial R goes back centuries for English monarchs and is used to designate authority of the sovereign. It goes back as far as Henry I, who ruled in the early 12th century, and is how all official documents and formal letters are signed.
There have been exceptions, as Queen Victoria used 'Victoria RI', which stands for Rex Imperator, when she became Empress of India. Although it's likely that Charles won't add the 'R' when he's writing to family and friends, as his late mother used her nickname 'Lilibet'.
Royal spouses can also incorporate the 'R' into their signatures, with Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother using the regal initial. However, Prince Philip only used his first name when he put pen to paper.
When William takes to the throne, he will also use the initial and sign as