UK government faces criticism over removal of ‘His Majesty’ from official communications

Britain’s government has drawn criticism from right-wing politicians after confirming it has replaced “His Majesty’s Government” branding with a “UK Government” logo in official communications.

The UK government is formally known as His Majesty’s (HM) Government, a title linked to the reigning monarch, King Charles III. Until recently, government websites and public materials typically displayed the Royal Coat of Arms alongside the wording “HM Government”.

However, a Labour government minister confirmed this week that a strategic decision had been taken to adopt “UK Government” as the main branding across all public-facing communications. The change, confirmed on Tuesday, was criticised by opposition Conservative figures, who described it as disrespectful to Britain’s history, culture and constitutional traditions.

Conservative politician Alex Burghart accused Labour of attempting to erode long-standing customs, saying the move reflected a disregard for tradition.

Under guidance issued by the previous Conservative administration, which remained in power until 2024, the Royal Coat of Arms and “HM Government” branding were to be used wherever possible. A government spokesperson said the new approach was intended to provide greater clarity in public communications.

Anti-monarchy campaigner Graham Smith, head of the pressure group Republic, welcomed the change, saying it better reflected the government’s role in serving the public. He also pointed to what he described as declining support for the monarchy following the release of new documents last month detailing further links between Prince Andrew and the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

A Savanta poll commissioned by Republic showed support for the monarchy at 45 percent, down from the 57 to 59 percent recorded by YouGov in mid-January. A separate YouGov poll for Sky News found that 45 percent of respondents believed King Charles III had done enough to distance himself from his brother, Prince Andrew, who lost his royal titles last year over his Epstein connections, while nearly 40 percent said the monarch should have done more.