Hidden meaning behind letters you’ll be seeing at coronation – and why we’re getting new post boxes
KING Charles’ Coronation is just days away and the hidden meaning behind his Royal cypher, CR, has been revealed.
The countdown to the grand event is fully underway, with Brits across the nation preparing for Saturday, May 6.
But royal fans have been wondering what CR means, the initials on the royal logo that will soon appear on letter boxes, government buildings, and State documents.
Post boxes have always featured a subtle nod to the Queen or Monarch of the time, by displaying the royal cypher.
This means Brits can tell how old a letter box is by looking at the initials, for example you can tell that a “GR” post box was put up during the era of King George V, from 1910 to 1936, while “GR VI” boxes were from the reign of George VI, from 1936 to 1952.
It has been reported King Charles chose his cypher from a selection of designs by the College of Arms – the authority that manages coats of arms in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The cypher features an interlocking of the letters C and R, with the number three in Roman Numerals within the loop of the R.
On top of the initials sits a Tudor crown, and on his Scottish cypher sits the Crown of Scotland.
It has been revealed CR stands for Charles Rex, symbolic of the Monarch’s name and the Latin word for King.
The Roman Numerals are representative of King Charles being the third monarch with this name – Charles I ruled from 1625 to 1649 and Charles II from 1660 to 1685.
It comes as a change from the late Queen Elizabeth’s cypher, E II R.
Royal cyphers have been dated back to the Tudor period, and were originally only the initials of the King or Queen.
The letter R, symbolic of either Rex or Regina, was added later after the reign of Henry VIII.
This comes as the nation prepares for the Royal Coronation this weekend.
Unlike the late Queen at her coronation, the King and Queen Consort will take a much shorter route of 1.3 miles to Westminster Abbey.
Starting from Buckingham Palace, they will head down The Mall via Admiralty Arch and along the south side of Trafalgar Square.
They will continue down Whitehall and along Parliament Street before travelling around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary and arriving at the Abbey.
During the coronation, the new sovereign is first anointed with holy oil, dressed in coronation robes, and then invested with a number of ornaments symbolising the chivalric nature of kingship.
These include the spurs, swords and armills and then the Sovereign’s Orb, which will be placed in his right hand as he is invested.
It will then be placed on the altar before the moment of crowning.
The Sovereign’s Orb is a golden globe surmounted by a cross and represents the Monarch’s religious and moral authority.
It reminds the monarch that their power is derived from God.
Camilla will be wearing a crown made by Garrard for Queen Mary, who was also a Queen Consort and was coronated alongside King George V in 1911.
There will be additional jewels incorporated that pay homage to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The Koh-i-noor diamond will not be featured in the updated version.
King Charles III will wear the St Edward’s Crown when he is officially declared as the King during his coronation.
The crown is made from solid gold and contains 444 gemstones, including rubies, sapphires, garnets, and tourmalines.
This will be the first and only time the new King will wear this crown.
He will then wear the Imperial State Crown as he leaves Westminster Abbey, after the coronation ceremony.
The Crown is estimated to cost more than £3billion and was worn by the Queen in her famous Coronation photograph.