King Charles’ New Great Seal of the Realm Unveiled in Final Stage of Transition to His Reign

King Charles’ office is sharing a brand new royal symbol commemorating the last stage in the transition to his reign. After midnight on May 10, local time, Buckingham Palace unveiled King Charles’ new Great Seal of the Realm. The engraving on the face of the seal shows the King, 76, seated on a throne, and the reverse depicts the Royal Arms designed by Heraldic artist Timothy Noad.

A statement said that this delivery “marks the final stage in the formal transition to His Majesty’s reign.” It was designed in silver and struck by The Royal Mint, continuing an honor it has held for centuries. It adds to the suite of national symbols produced by the Royal Mint, which makes the U.K.’s coins, including the King’s new effigy and coinage.

The Great Seal of the Realm is a rich tradition for the sovereign, one that the British royal family traces back to the reign of Edward the Confessor in the 11th century. The emblem is traditionally fixed to official State documents to indicate royal approval and is esteemed as a symbol of sovereign authority.

The new Great Seal of the Realm.

Press Association via AP

Every monarch has a unique seal created especially for them during their reign, and King Charles approved his insignia during a Privy Council meeting this week.

Continuing tradition, the King struck the old seal with a hammer during the council meeting to represent that emblem’s destruction, but it wasn’t thrown away! The symbolically defaced seal was saved for historical record.