Style of the British sovereign

The precise style of the British sovereign has varied over the years. It is chosen and officially proclaimed by the sovereign.[1] In 2022, King Charles III was proclaimed by the Privy Council to have acceded to the throne with the style:

Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith[2]

As of 2023, it remains to be seen whether there will also be a Latin version.[3]

The proclamation of Elizabeth II, in 1953, was made in English and in Latin.[4]

  • in English:

    Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith

  • in Latin:

    Elizabeth II, Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regnorumque Suorum Ceterorum Regina, Consortionis Populorum Princeps, Fidei Defensor

Official styles of previous sovereigns are shown below. Heads of state who did not rule as king or as queen are shown in italics.

English sovereigns
Period Style User
1066–1087 Rex Anglorum
(King of the English)		 William I
1087–1121 Dei Gratia Rex Anglorum
(By the Grace of God, King of the English)		 William II, Henry I
1121–1154 Rex Anglorum, Dux Normannorum
(King of the English, Duke of the Normans)		 Henry I, Stephen
1141 Anglorum Domina
(Lady of the English)		 Matilda
1154–1199 Rex Angliae
(King of England)
Rex Anglorum
(King of the English)		 Henry II, Henry the Young King, Richard I
1199–1259 Dei gratia Rex Anglie, Dominus Hibernie, Dux Normannie et Aquitannie, Comes Andegavie
(By the Grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, Count of the Angevins)		 John, Henry III
1259–1340 Rex Angliae, Dominus Hiberniae et Dux Aquitaniae
(King of England, Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine)		 Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III
1340–1397 Rex Angliae et Franciae et Dominus Hiberniae
(King of England and of France and Lord of Ireland)		 Edward III, Richard II
1397–1399 Rex Angliae et Franciae, Dominus Hiberniae et Princeps Cestriæ
(King of England and of France, Lord of Ireland, and Prince of Chester)[5]		 Richard II
1399–1420 Rex Angliae et Franciae et Dominus Hiberniae
(King of England and of France and Lord of Ireland)		 Henry IV, Henry V
1420–1422 Rex Angliae, Haeres et Regens Franciae, et Dominus Hiberniae
(King of England, Heir and Regent of France and Lord of Ireland)		 Henry V, Henry VI
1422–1521a Rex Angliae et Franciae et Dominus Hiberniae
(King of England and of France and Lord of Ireland)		 Henry VI, Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, Henry VII, Henry VIII
1521a–1535 Dei gratia Rex Anglie et Francie, Fidei Defensor et Dominus Hibernie
By the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the Faith and Lord of Ireland		 Henry VIII (language change only)
1535–1536 Dei gratia Rex Anglie et Francie, Fidei Defensor, Dominus Hibernie, et in terra ecclesie Anglicane supremum caput
By the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the Faith, Lord of Ireland, and of the Church of England in Earth Supreme Head[6]
1536–1542 Dei gratia Rex Anglie et Francie, Fidei Defensor, Dominus Hibernie, et in terra ecclesiae Anglicane et Hibernice supremum caput
By the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the Faith, Lord of Ireland, and of the Church of England and of Ireland in Earth Supreme Head[6]
1542–1553 Dei gratia Anglie Francie et Hibernie Rex, Fidei Defensor, et in terra ecclesie Anglicane et Hibernice supremum caput
By the Grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and of the Church of England and of Ireland in Earth Supreme Headb[6]		 Henry VIII, Edward VI
1553–1554 Dei gratia Anglie Francie et Hibernie Rex, Fidei Defensor, et in terra ecclesie Anglicane et Hibernice supremum caput
By the Grace of God, Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in Earth Supreme Headb[6]		 Lady Jane Grey (disputed), Mary I
1554–1556[7] Dei Gratia Rex et Regina Anglie, Francie, Neapolis, Ierusalem, et Hibernie; Fidei Defensores; Principes Hispanie et Sicilie; Archiduces Austrie; Duces Mediolani, Burgundie, et Brabancie; Comites Haspurgi, Flandrie, et Tirolis
By the Grace of God, King and Queen of England and France, Naples, Jerusalem and Ireland, Defenders of the Faith, Princes of Spain and Sicily, Archdukes of Austria, Dukes of Milan, Burgundy, and Brabant, Count and Countess of Habsburg, Flanders, and Tyrol[6][8]		 Mary I and Philip
1556–1558 Dei gracia rex et regina Anglie Hispaniarum Francie utriusque Sicilie Ierusalem et Hibernie fidei defensores archiduces Austrie duces Burgundie Mediolani et Brabancie comites Haspurgi Flandrie et Tirolis
By the Grace of God, King and Queen of England, Spain, France, Jerusalem, both the Sicilies and Ireland, Defenders of the Faith, Archduke and Archduchess of Austria, Duke and Duchess of Burgundy, Milan and Brabant, Count and Countess of Habsburg, Flanders and Tyrol
1558–1603 Dei gratia Anglie Francie et Hibernie Regina, Fidei Defensor, etc.
By the Grace of God, Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc.		 Elizabeth I
  • ^a In 1521 English replaced Latin as the official language of the regnal style.
  • ^b ... "and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in Earth Supreme Head" omitted in formal use in early 1554 (omission retroactively approved by an act of Parliament assented to 16 Jan 1555)

Scottish sovereigns
Main article: Style of the Scottish sovereign

The earliest recorded style of the monarchs of what is now Scotland varies: sometimes it is "King of the Picts", sometimes "King of Fortriu", and sometimes "King of Alba". Only after 900 does the latter title become standard. From the reign of David I, the title became either "rex Scottorum" ("King of Scots") or "rex Scotiae" ("King of Scotland"). The former term was the most common, but the latter was used sometimes. James VI and I proclaimed himself "King of Great Brittaine, France and Ireland” by Royal Proclamation, but this was not accepted by the English Parliament.[9] The last three monarchs of Scotland—William II (William III of England), Mary II and Anne—all used "King/Queen of Scotland" in preference to "of Scots".

English and Scottish sovereigns
Period Style User(s)
1603–1689 By the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. James VI & I, Charles I, Charles II, James VII & II
1650–1653 Captain-General and Commander-in-Chief of all the armies and forces raised and to be raised within the Commonwealth of England Oliver Cromwell
1653–1659 By the Grace of God and of the Republic, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, et cetera, and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging Oliver Cromwell, Richard Cromwell
1689–1694 By the Grace of God, King and Queen of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Stadtholder of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau, Defenders of the Faith, etc. William III and Mary II
1694–1702 By the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Stadtholder of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau, Defender of the Faith, etc. William III
1702–1707 By the Grace of God, Queen of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. Anne

British sovereigns
Period Style Sovereign(s)
1707–1714 by the Grace of God Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. Anne
1714–1801 by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Archtreasurer and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg George I, George II, George III
1801–1814 by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, Arch-treasurer and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg[lower-alpha 1] George III
1814–1837 by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, King of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg George III, George IV, William IV
1837–1876 by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith Victoria
1876–1901 by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India
1901 Dei Gratia Britanniarum Rex, Fidei Defensor, Indiae Imperator
by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India[10]		 Edward VII
1901–1927 Dei Gratia Britanniarum et terrarum transmarinarum quae in ditione sunt Britannica Rex, Fidei Defensor, Indiae Imperator
by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India[10][11]		 Edward VII, George V
1927–1948 Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae, Hiberniae et terrarum transmarinarum quae in ditione sunt Britannica Rex, Fidei Defensor, Indiae Imperator
by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India[12]		 George V, Edward VIII, George VI
1948–1952 Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae, Hiberniae et terrarum transmarinarum quae in ditione sunt Britannica Rex, Fidei Defensor
by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith[12][lower-alpha 2]		 George VI
1952–1953 Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae, Hiberniae et terrarum transmarinarum quae in ditione sunt Britannica Regina, Fidei Defensor
by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith		 Elizabeth II
1953–2022 Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regnorumque Suorum Ceterorum Regina, Consortionis Populorum Princeps, Fidei Defensor
by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith[4][lower-alpha 3]
2022–present by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith[13][lower-alpha 4] Charles III

See also

Notes
  1. This reflects the United Kingdom created by the Acts of Union 1800 and sheds the more than 400-year-old pretence to the throne of France
  2. Recognising that in 1947 British India was partitioned into the two independent dominions of India and Pakistan.
  3. Following the Royal Titles Act 1953
  4. Privy Council proclamation. See also Proclamation of accession of Charles III

References
  1. UK Parliament, Royal Titles Act 1953 (1 & 2 Eliz. 2 c. 9)
  2. "The London Gazette, Supplement 63812, Page 2". The Gazette. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  3. Version; the English and Latin texts are published as mutually equivalent.
  4. "No. 39873". The London Gazette (11th supplement). 26 May 1953. p. 3023. Proclamation of 28 May 1953 made in accordance with the Royal Titles Act 1953.
  5. "Richard himself was stiled Princeps Cestriæ, Prince of Chester. But this title was but of small duration: no longer, than till Henry the fourth repeal'd the Laws of the said Parliament; for then it became a County Palatine again, and retains that Prerogative to this day..." Cheshire – Britannia. Written by William Camden.
  6. England: Kings and Queens: 1066–1649. Retrieved 11-03-2010.
  7. England: Royal Styles: 1553–1558. Retrieved 11-03-2010.
  8. Burke's Guide to the Royal Family. London: Burke's Peerage Limited. 1973. pp. 206. ISBN 0-220-66222-3.
  9. "British Library".
  10. "No. 27372". The London Gazette. 5 November 1901. p. 7137.
  11. "No. 33274". The London Gazette. 13 May 1927. p. 3111.
  12. "No. 38330". The London Gazette. 22 June 1948. p. 3647. Royal Proclamation of 22 June 1948, made in accordance with the Indian Independence Act 1947, 10 & 11 GEO. 6. CH. 30.('Section 7: …(2)The assent of the Parliament of the United Kingdom is hereby given to the omission from the Royal Style and Titles of the words " Indiae Imperator " and the words " Emperor of India " and to the issue by His Majesty for that purpose of His Royal Proclamation under the Great Seal of the Realm.'). According to this Royal Proclamation, the King retained the Style and Titles 'George VI by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith', and he thus remained King of the various Dominions, including India and Pakistan, though these two (and others) eventually chose to abandon their monarchies and became republics.
  13. "The London Gazette, Supplement 63812, Page 2". The Gazette. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
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