King Charles has unveiled his new Great Seal of the Realm which will marks the “final stage” of his transition into the nation’s monarch.
All of Britain’s heads of state have had their own unique seal which is usually affixed to documents to indicate Royal approval.
The Great Seal has long been a key symbol of Sovereign authority, going back more than 1,100 years.
King Charles’ own seal features an engraved depiction of him seated on a throne on one side and the royal arms on the other “Counter Seal” side.
King Charles unveiled his new Great Seal of the Real this week
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The silver device was designed by heraldic artist, Timothy Noad, and has now been officially approved by the King during a privy council meeting.
After which, the Great Seal was entrusted to the custody of the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, Shabana Mahmood.
The delivery of the treasured object symbolises the "final stage in the formal transition to His Majesty’s reign”.
It is the last of several national symbols produced for the King by The Royal Mint, including his new effigy and coinage.
The new silver Great Seal features a depiction of King Charles on a throne
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The Royal Mint, based in Llantrisant, Wales since 1968, has been entrusted with the duty of producing the monarch’s Great Seal for more than 1,100 years.
During the unveiling ceremony at the Privy Council meeting, the previous monarch’s Seal, in this case Queen Elizabeth II, is “destroyed” by being struck with a hammer.
Then, the “symbolically defaced” Seal is preserved for historical record.
The symbolic transition follows the King’s poignant speech at Horse Guards Parade on Thursday to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
The late Queen Elizabeth's Great Seal of the Real (left) alongside King Charles' (right)
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King Charles delivered a powerful VE Day speech on Thursday
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Charles spoke at precisely 9pm, the exact time his grandfather King George VI addressed the nation from Buckingham Palace on May 8, 1945.
In the speech, he called on the country to "rededicate ourselves" to "the cause of freedom" and "the prevention of conflict".
Quoting his grandfather's powerful words, the King said that victory "lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in goodwill".
Charles emphasised that the Allied victory was "a result of unity between nations, races, religions and ideologies, fighting back against an existential threat to humanity".
"Their collective endeavour remains a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny," he added.
