Prince Charles May Bring Back This Traditional Symbol When He Becomes King
When Prince Charles becomes king, what sorts of changes will the monarchy undergo? No one knows for certain, though he will likely carry on many of the usual customs. However, he may make a small but symbolic change in honor of royal history and tradition. Several sources have reported that the Prince of Wales will redesign the royal insignia.
As explained by The Telegraph, Prince Charles will be known as King Charles III, and will signify his reign by changing the royal insignia to the Tudor Crown. (The royal insignia is a symbolic image that represents the British monarchy. It often appears on official uniforms, including the Household Cavalry, which is made up of the two most senior regiments of the British Army.)
Currently, the royal insignia (or royal cypher) reads “E II R,” which stands for Elizabeth II Regina (regina is Latin for “queen”). Above the lettering is an image of St. Edward’s Crown, named after Saint Edward the Confessor — the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. The crown was made for Charles II in 1661.
It is traditional for the next monarch to change the royal insignia to represent his or her reign. But until now, no one had a good prediction as to what the new insignia would show. The Telegraph reports that the new insignia will likely feature the Tudor Crown. (For those who need a brush-up on royal history, the House of Tudor was an English royal dynasty of Welsh and French origin. Famous rulers from the House of Tudor included King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.)
The Tudor Crown was worn by Henry VIII. While splendid in jewels and color, it featured a less ornate design than that of the St. Edward’s Crown. The Tudor Crown last appeared on the royal insignia when King George VI (Prince Charles’ grandfather) was on the throne.
It is a return to a more traditional and classic design. Could it be a sign that Prince Charles will stick with tradition as much as possible? What else might he change? We’ll have to wait and see.
