Royal cypher Royal cypher In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. Where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called an "imperial cypher". In the system used by various Commonwealth realms, the title is abbreviated as "R" for "rex" or "regina" (Latin for "king" and "queen"). Previously, "I" stood for "imperator" or "imperatrix" (Latin words for "emperor" and "empress") of India. The cypher is displayed on some government buildings, impressed
Queen regnant The husband of a queen regnant traditionally does not share his wife's rank, title or sovereignty. However, the concept of a king consort is not unheard of in both contemporary and classical periods. A queen dowager is the widow of a king. A queen mother is a queen dowager who is also the mother of a reigning sovereign. In Ancient Egypt, Ancient Persia, Asian and Pacific cultures, and even some European countries, female monarchs have been given the title "king" or its equivalent, such as "pharaoh", when gender is irrelevant to the office, or else have used the masculine form