From Her to His: Postboxes, passports, uniforms and law to undergo change after death of Queen Elizabeth II
LONDON, UK: The death of Queen Elizabeth II has not only caused changes in the monarchy but across the world as well. Now, changes will have to be made to the names of institutions throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries too.
The new king's effigy and cypher will replace hers. Many aspects of life in Britain and beyond will change with the accession of King Charles to the throne, including the national anthem, stamps, postboxes, and passports. Let's take a look at what these changes are.
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Postboxes, stamps and uniforms
On new postboxes, the EIIR royal cypher for Elizabeth II Regina will change. ERII or Elizabeth Regina II was what post boxes are currently marked with. They could now change to CRIII once Charles ascends. Postboxes are given the mark of the monarch at that time and so that will have to change. The Postal Museum said that this woulld only happen when new postal boxes are added, the old ones stay the same. The stamps will now bear Charles' profile and not his mother's. As for uniforms, the queen's cypher on them will be replaced by the King's cypher.
National anthem and passports
Britain's national anthem changes to 'God Save the King', with male-version lyrics that may surprise many because they haven't been sung since 1952. It is also New Zealand's national anthem and the royal anthem of Australia and Canada.
Because British passports are issued in the name of the crown, the wording on the inside cover will need to be updated. The passports currently state, "Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary." This will change to a male pronoun. The older passports are still valid and will be updated to the new monarch during renewal. Text similar to this can be found inside Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand passports.
Politics, Law, King's speech
Her Majesty's government, Treasury and Customs and Excise will change. The state opening of parliament will feature the king's speech from the throne, outlining the government's plan. In the military, recruits will no longer metaphorically take the queen's shilling to sign up, adhere to the queen's regulations once in the ranks or board one of Her Majesty's ships. The Queen's Guard, typically seen posted outside Buckingham Palace, will change its name.
Suspects who plead guilty and testify against their co-conspirators in exchange for a lighter sentence will be turning in the king's evidence rather than the queen's. Prisoners are no longer being detained at Her Majesty's pleasure, but will continue to serve their sentences at His Majesty's pleasure. Her Majesty's Theatre in London's West End, which has been home to 'The Phantom of the Opera' since 1986, will revert to His Majesty's. When the Queen's English becomes the King's, speakers of Received Pronunciation, the poshest and most socially prestigious accent, will have to aspire to Charles' vowels and diphthongs. However, the Queen's English has evolved. Comparisons of Queen Elizabeth's earlier speeches with those delivered decades later revealed that her accent gradually became less plummy. In addition, at formal gatherings, the loyal toast to the head of state is changed from "The Queen" to "The King."