King Charles has approved the new Great Seal of the Realm marking the end of the “final stage” of his transition as a monarch, Buckigham Palace has announced. The Great Seal of the Realm is a symbol of sovereign authority, which is traditionally affixed to official State documents to signify royal approval.
Each monarch has their own unique seal created during their reign. The engraving on the face of the seal is a depiction of Charles on a throne, while the reverse carries the Royal Arms designed by heraldic artist Timothy Noad. The King approved the new Great Seal of the Realm and Counter Seal during a Privy Council meeting this week, according to the Palace.
Tradition dictates that the new monarch strike the old seal with a hammer in the Privy Council meeting, symbolising its destruction.
The symbolically defaced seal is then preserved for historical record.
A statement read: “The delivery of a new Great Seal marks the final stage in the formal transition to His Majesty’s reign, adding to the suite of national symbols produced by The Royal Mint that includes The King’s new effigy and coinage.”
The King had a busy week as he led the Royal Family and the nation in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War 2.
Beginning with a poignant military procession and flypast on Monday, the celebrations culminated on Friday, where the royals attended a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey and a concert at Horse Guards Parade.
At the concert, Charles gave a historic speech where he called for a global commitment to restoring peace as he paid tribute to the service and sacrifice of the wartime generation.
Charles described the allied victory as “a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny”.
Echoing his grandfather, Charles delivered his address at 9pm – the exact time King George VI spoke to the nation in a radio broadcast on May 8, 1945, to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe.
In a lighter moment, the King joked to the concert-goers that he did not have the energy to “lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace”.
Reading an extract from his late mother Queen Elizabeth II’s personal diary about how she famously celebrated and danced incognito among the crowds in London on VE Day as a teenage princess, Charles said: “‘Out in the crowd again. Embankment, Piccadilly. Rained, so fewer people. Conga-ed into House. Sang till 2am. Bed at 3am!”‘
He quipped, prompting laughter from the 12,000-strong audience: “I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2am, let alone lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace.”