Dei Gratia Regina

Obverse of a 2010 Canadian 25-cent piece, featuring the abbreviated form of the phrase.

Dei Gratia Regina (often abbreviated to D. G. Regina and seen as D·G·REGINA) is a Latin title meaning By the Grace of God, Queen.

This phrase still appears on the obverse of many coins, for example Canadian coins.[1] Similar phrase, D.G.R.S., meaning Dei Gratia Regina Sveciæ ("By the Grace of God, Queen of Sweden") appears on some Swedish coins, and D. G. REG. F. D. (Dei gratia regina fidei defensor) appears on some British coins.

History

Some coins minted during the reign of Queen Christina of Sweden bear an inscription of CHRISTINA D.G.R.S. on the obverse, and at least one 17th-century Swedish silver medal depicts Karl XI, bearing the inscription CAROLVS XI DEI GRATIA SVEC GOTH VANDAL REX (Karl XI, with God's grace, King of the Svears, Goths and Vandals), the reverse depicting Ulrika Eleonora with the inscription VLRICA ELEONORA DEI GRATIA REGINA SVECIAE (Ulrika Eleonora, with God's grace, Queen of Sweden).[2]

Canadian coins minted from 1902 until 1910 under King Edward VII read "D. G. Rex Imperator" which is Latin for "By the Grace of God, King and Emperor". The "Dei Gra" portion was removed temporarily from Canadian coinage in 1911 and led to such a public uproar over the "godless" coins that it was returned to Canadian coinage in the subsequent year. From 1912 to 1936, under George V, it read "Dei Gra Rex Et Ind Imp" which stands for Dei Gratia Rex et Indiae Imperator which means "By the Grace of God, King and Emperor of India". From 1937 to 1947 under the reign of George VI, it read either "Dei Gra Rex Et Ind Imp" as before or was abbreviated "D. G. Rex Et Ind Imp". From 1948 to 1952, still under George VI, after the confederation of India, they read "Dei Gratia Rex". In 1953, Elizabeth II's first coins bore "Dei Gratia Britt Omn Regina" ("By the Grace of God, Queen of All the Britains"). From 1954 until 1964, it was shortened to read "Dei Gratia Regina" and from 1965 onwards, it was abbreviated on all coins to the current phrase of "D. G. Regina".[1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Faces of the monarch". www.mint.ca. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  2. ↑ "AN1040028001". British Museum. Retrieved 2012-06-29.