News

Royal symbols that will need to change now Charles is King

Published

3 years ago

September 9, 2022

WITH the passing of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II, many goods and titles will have to change so they no longer bear the Queen’s symbols, but will display her son and heir, King Charles III.

Here are some of the changes that will need to go ahead now that Charles has been appointed King.

Money

There are 4.5bn sterling bank notes in circulation around the UK with the Queen’s face on them. They are estimated to be worth a combined £80bn.

New coins and notes will need to be designed and minted or printed.

They are not expected to appear in circulation for some time. Replacement of the new coins and notes are likely to take two years.

Coins displaying Elizabeth II did not appear until a year after her accession to the throne and notes with her majesty’s face took eight years to finally reach circulation.

Coins that will feature the new King will show him facing to the left, whereas Queen Elizabeth faced to the right.

This tradition began in the 17th century to alternate the way successive monarchs are facing.

Elizabeth II’s coins are expected to stay in use until they are gradually replaced.

The Queen’s head also features on some $20 banknotes in Canada, on coins in New Zealand, and on all coins and notes issued by the Eastern Caribbean central bank, as well as other parts of the Commonwealth.

Stamps

The new King will soon begin to feature on stamps in Britain and others in the Commonwealth.

It is likely that Charles III has already sat for such sculptures and portraits. He will need to approve the design before the new stamps are available for use.

Postboxes

New postboxes could feature the new King’s cypher. Currently, postboxes across the country display Elizabeth II’s ERII cypher.

70 years later, some postboxes with King George VI’s GR cypher remain in use today.

Queen’s Council

In the UK, Queen’s Counsel (QC) refers to a set of barristers and solicitors who the monarch appoints to be a part of Her Majesty’s Counsel learned in the law.

The title switches to King’s Counsel (KC) now a king reigns.

In criminal court cases, the R to denote the Crown now stands for Rex rather than Regina (queen).

Stationery and business cards may need to be reprinted to reflect the change in the post-nominal letters.

The English national anthem

The words of the English national anthem will change from “God save our gracious Queen” to “God save our gracious King” with substitutions of “him” and “he”.

This is a matter of tradition and is not law.

Passports

The King no longer needs his own passport. As for the rest of the UK, passports will be issued in his name.

The wording in new passports will be changed at some point in the near future.

Her Majesty’s Passport Office will become His Majesty’s Passport Office, as is the case with HM Armed Forces and HM Prison Service.

Cyphers

The new monarch will need a new Royal Cypher – the monogram impressed upon royal and state documents.

The Queen’s ERII features on traditional police helmets and postboxes.

While English queens use the St Edward’s crown, or a variant of it, kings traditionally use the more rounded Tudor crown.

Flags

Thousands of flags emblazoned with EIIR will need to be replaced, from those flying outside police stations across the UK to the standard used on a naval ship when a general is on board.

Military regiments fly “Queen’s colours,” many of which are embroidered with a gold EIIR; the fire service ensign includes her initials; and countries where the Queen remains head of state, such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, have personal flags for the Queen that are flown when she visits.

While the Royal Standard represents the Sovereign and the United Kingdom, the Queen’s own flag was unique to her and could only be flown by her.

It is possible that the royal standard (the quartered flag that flies wherever the monarch is in residence) could also change. The version used by the Queen includes one quarter representing Scotland (a lion rampant), one for Ireland (a harp), and two representing England (three lions passant), however, there is no symbol for Wales.

As Charles III will need a new personal flag as King, he may incorporate a Welsh element.

News

Car crashes into house in St Davids

Published

8 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EMERGENCY services were called after a car crashed into a house on Nun Street in St Davids on Thursday (Apr 24).

Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene at around 4:35pm following reports of a single-vehicle collision.

On arrival, they found that a car had collided with a residential property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended a report of a single-vehicle road traffic collision where a car collided with a property on Nun Street, St Davids, at around 4:35pm yesterday. No injuries were reported, and the road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.”

Community

Milford Haven and Neyland Police issue appeal for missing man

Published

9 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.

Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.

He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.

Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 🖥️ | Online portal
📧 | [email protected]
📞 | Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.

Community

Fire service delivers vital kit to Ukraine

Published

14 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.

The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.

Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.

Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”

The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.