King’s post box highlights unusual history of cypher

Primary school children were the first to use the historic red pillar to send handwritten letters to the monarch

Post box insignia may pass unnoticed by most of us, but the King has followed a little-known tradition and given the stamp of approval to a new-look design.
Royal Mail’s red boxes have been marked with the cypher of the reigning monarch since their introduction in the 19th century. But the King has put a unique twist on the design for his reign.
His Majesty’s cypher, which will appear on Royal Mail branding, consists of the overlaid initials of his name and title, rex. In addition to the “CR”, the King’s regnal numbers are included in the design, something which has not been universal in designs over the last 170 years.
The first of these new boxes was unveiled in Great Cambourne, Cambridgeshire, by a group of schoolchildren on Friday.
The King’s post-box cypher features the Tudor Crown which he chose to incorporate into his royal cypher in February.
Speaking at the unveiling of the post box, Emma Gilthorpe, the chief executive of Royal Mail said: “More than 115,000 postboxes across the UK have recorded the succession of monarchs since the first box bore the cipher of Queen Victoria. We thank His Majesty for granting us the use of his personal cypher as we begin the next chapter in the story of the iconic Great British postbox in Great Cambourne.”
Queen Victoria’s cypher was the first to be used for England post boxes – Scotland uses the St Andrew’s Crown – and it took the form of a V incorporated into ito R for Regina. Edward VII was next, including his regal number in his cypher.
However, the use or not of regnal numbers seemed to be down to the choice of the monarch. George V, dropped the regnal number from his cypher, and his successor Edward VIII chose to use his.
The late queen included her regnal number, and the King has chosen to do the same.
The new box was unveiled by children from The Vine Inter-Church Primary School in Upper Cambourne, and Julie Spence, the Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire.
The children posted the first letters in the box using special stamps produced to celebrate the King’s Coronation.
As a school project, each child was asked to write a letter to the King about their new Forest School, which will open in September. They also asked for his advice on moving towards a more sustainable future.
The new royal cypher has also been applied to the doors of Royal Mail vehicles, with an initial rollout seeing 100 trucks updated to bear  the King’s version from Friday, and a further 290 due to receive the new logo over the next six weeks.
In total, 3636 delivery vehicles will be updated between August and October.
Meanwhile, the new version of the Royal Mail logo will be rolled out on new and replacement signage, stationary and vehicles, in line with guidance from the Royal Household, to avoid waste.
Similarly, the introduction of the King’s new cypher on insignia such as buttons, liveries and uniforms has been gradual.