The Accession of King Charles and the Courts

What does the Accession of King Charles to the Throne Mean for the Courts

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch in history. Her reign spanned almost 71 years. Most people living today were not alive during the last King of England’s reign.

The recent death of Queen Elizabeth and the accession of her son King Charles to the throne have several implications for the criminal courts.

Criminal prosecutors will now act on behalf of Rex, not Regina. Regina and Rex are Latin for Queen and King respectively. They royal cypher which appears on different objects across the UK have to be reissued from ER (Elizabeth Regina) to RC (Rex Charles).

Criminal charges have long been conducted as R v (name of defendant). The ‘R’ which stands for Regina now stands for Rex.

In the Royal Courts in London, senior judges in the Queen’s Bench Division now sit in the King’s Bench.

In England, senior barristers with be no longer given the post nominal letters of QC, that is Queen’s Council. They will instead have KC (King’s Council) after their names. In Australia the post nominal letters of QC were replaced some time ago with SC (Senior Council). 

Matters on appeal will now be identified as Rex v The King (R v the King). Appeal matters were formerly known as Regina v the Queen (R v Queen).

The accession of King Charles II to the throne has widespread implications across the Commonwealth. Those barristers and legal matters which are stamped with Regina and The Queen are forever tied to a time period in history, albeit the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

We here at Rep-Revive Criminal & Employment lawyers have helped many people avoid criminal convictions. So if you, or someone you know, have legal matters or appeals, contact Rep-Revive Criminal & Employment Lawyers® for a free initial consultation on (02) 9198 1997 or visit www.rpr5.sydney for further information on how we listen, we fight, and you win! We are always in your corner.