EIIR to CIIIR: Royals Reveal Charles's New Cypher

Queen Elizabeth II's cypher was EIIR CARL RECINE POOL/AFP
Queen Elizabeth II's cypher was EIIR CARL RECINE POOL/AFP
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EIIR to CIIIR: Royals Reveal Charles's New Cypher

Queen Elizabeth II's cypher was EIIR CARL RECINE POOL/AFP
Queen Elizabeth II's cypher was EIIR CARL RECINE POOL/AFP

Buckingham Palace on Monday revealed King Charles III's new royal cypher -- the monogram of his initials that will feature on government buildings, state documents and new post boxes.

His late mother Queen Elizabeth II's cypher was EIIR, standing for Elizabeth II Regina (queen in Latin), AFP said.

Charles's will be CIIIR for Charles III Rex (king in Latin), with the C intertwined with the R, the III within the R, and the crown above both letters.

A Scottish version of the cypher features the Scottish Crown.

The cypher was designed by The College of Arms, which was founded in 1484 and whose job is to create and maintain official registers of coats of arms and pedigrees.

The Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace will frank the first items of mail with "CIIIR" on Tuesday, after the end of royal mourning for the queen, who died on September 8, aged 96.

The palace mailroom handles some 200,000 items every year, from invitations to events, responses to public letters and cards, and state business.

The new cypher will be used throughout the Royal Household and by government departments.

The accession of Charles, 73, to the throne has already seen an immediate change in the national anthem, from "God Save the Queen" to "God Save the King".

Senior lawyers have become "king's counsel" (KC) instead of "queen's counsel" (QC) for the first time since the death of the late queen's father, king George VI, in 1952.

Other changes -- from the king's head on bank notes and coins to the wording inside passports -- will gradually be brought in both in Britain and the 14 other countries where he is also head of state.



Bacteria Cancels Water Shows at Japan's World Expo

A photo taken on April shows a general view of the waterfront area of the World Expo, that has suspended shows because of high levels of bacteria. Richard A. Brooks / AFP/File
A photo taken on April shows a general view of the waterfront area of the World Expo, that has suspended shows because of high levels of bacteria. Richard A. Brooks / AFP/File
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Bacteria Cancels Water Shows at Japan's World Expo

A photo taken on April shows a general view of the waterfront area of the World Expo, that has suspended shows because of high levels of bacteria. Richard A. Brooks / AFP/File
A photo taken on April shows a general view of the waterfront area of the World Expo, that has suspended shows because of high levels of bacteria. Richard A. Brooks / AFP/File

The discovery of high levels of bacteria has led the World Expo in Japan's Osaka to suspend daily water shows and use of a shallow play pool, organizers said.

It comes after visitors also complained that swarms of tiny flying insects had invaded the vast waterfront site where Expo 2025 runs until mid-October.

Nearly six million people have visited exhibits from more than 160 countries, regions and organizations since it opened in April.

Although polls showed that public enthusiasm for the Expo was lukewarm before its opening, organizers say crowds have been growing, especially in recent weeks, said AFP.

But concerns were raised over environmental conditions at the reclaimed island site in Osaka Bay, which was once a landfill.

Organizers said Thursday that high levels of legionella bacteria had forced them to close an area with shallow water where visitors, including children, could cool off.

That followed a statement released Wednesday saying daily fountain shows with music and lights at an artificial pond had been suspended for the same reason.

They said they were cleaning the affected areas, adding that a decision would come on Friday on whether the shows could resume.

Days before the Expo opened, a level of methane gas high enough to potentially ignite a fire was detected at the site.

More recently, organizers sprayed insecticide to deter swarms of non-biting midges bothering guests.

Also known as a World's Fair, the Expo phenomenon, which brought the Eiffel Tower to Paris, began with London's 1851 Crystal Palace exhibition.

It is now held every five years in different global locations.