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.



‘Archaeological Masterpieces’ Stolen from Dutch Museum

FILE PHOTO: A decorated bracelet is displayed at the opening of "Antique Gold and Silver of Romania" exhibition at Romania's National History Museum in Bucharest December 19, 2013. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A decorated bracelet is displayed at the opening of "Antique Gold and Silver of Romania" exhibition at Romania's National History Museum in Bucharest December 19, 2013. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel/File Photo
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‘Archaeological Masterpieces’ Stolen from Dutch Museum

FILE PHOTO: A decorated bracelet is displayed at the opening of "Antique Gold and Silver of Romania" exhibition at Romania's National History Museum in Bucharest December 19, 2013. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A decorated bracelet is displayed at the opening of "Antique Gold and Silver of Romania" exhibition at Romania's National History Museum in Bucharest December 19, 2013. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel/File Photo

Three gold bracelets and a helmet featured in an exhibition at The Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands, were stolen on Friday night after thieves stormed the museum using an explosive device.

The exhibition, “Dacia - Empire of Gold and Silver,” presented a loaned artistic pieces from Romania. It was scheduled to continue until the end of the week.

However, police received a report around 3:45 am local time Saturday about an explosion at the museum. Upon arrival, officers found the museum damaged and the gold masterpieces gone.

The stolen artifacts — described by the museum as “archaeological masterpieces” — include the golden helmet of Cotofenesti, a famed relic that dates back to roughly 450 BC.

Historian Dimitri Tilloi-d'Ambrosi said the helmet is a “jewel” and represented one of the precious artifacts that were displayed in the exhibition. He added that Dacia was a strong kingdom north of the Danube, and was famous for gold and silver mines.

The museum’s director, Harry Tupan, said the institution had never seen “such a major incident” in its 170-year history.

“This is a dark day for the Drents Museum in Assen and the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest. We are intensely shocked,” he said.

The museum’s premises were damaged by the explosion, though no injuries were reported. It remained closed through the weekend due to the robbery.

Dutch police announced that they are working with global police agency Interpol. Investigators are currently looking for information about a gray car that was stolen from the nearby city of Alkmaar earlier in the week and was discovered around four miles from the crime scene, on fire, shortly after the overnight heist.

Police believe the suspects abandoned the vehicle, which had stolen license plates, and fled in a different getaway car.

Dutch authorities contacted the Romanian government to investigate the case.