King Charles III has approved his new Great Seal of the Realm.
A seal is used on official state documents to show the Monarch’s royal approval. The metal seal matrix is placed onto hot wax to imprint the sovereign’s image.
The image shown is Charles III on his throne. Unlike medieval sovereign’s whose reverse image was the monarch on horseback, Charles III’s shows the Royal Arms as designed by artist Timothy Noad.
Every monarch has their own new and unique seal created for them. Charles approved his Great Seal of the Realm during a Privy Council meeting this week, marking the final stage of the formal transition to the King’s reign following his coronation two years ago. The King would have struck Queen Elizabeth II’s seal with a hammer to symbolise its destruction. Her seal, which is only symbolically defaced, is preserved for historical record.
You can view examples of medieval and later sovereign seals here.