King Charles III will have a shorter title in Canada than his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. A statement from the Canadian government is available.
The Parliament of Canada bears the official title of King Charles III. changed at the head of the state. From now on he will no longer bear the title of “Defender of the Faith”. This is reported, among others, by the “CBC” news portal. Thus, the modification of the Canadian law on the title of the royal office and its title was mentioned last month, but not yet specified.
Now the exact wording has been announced. The official title is Charles III, by the grace of God, King of Canada and its other realms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth. Translated into German: “Charles III, by the grace of God King of Canada and its other lands and territories, Head of the Commonwealth”.
The law was previously amended in 1985, after which the then monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, still bore the addition “Defender of the Faith”. Additionally, “Queen of the United Kingdom” was included in her Canadian name, which is also now omitted.
Palace was informed in advance
“As we prepare for the coronation of the new monarch, the decision has been taken to modernize the title,” said Bill Blair, communications director for the Royal Council. The designation has been “harmonized” with other Commonwealth countries such as Australia.
The term “defender of the faith” has been under discussion for several years. It was first introduced in the 16th century when the title was officially bestowed by Pope Leo X, who died in 1521, on King Henry VIII, who died in 1547. In a statement to CBC, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the decision on the monarch’s royal title was “a matter for the Canadian government.” The royal family was informed of the change ahead of time as a courtesy, an insider also reports.
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