English Heritage has today revealed its brand new ‘Rulers of England’ ruler. The iconic wooden ruler, a staple of all schoolchildren which lists and dates all the Kings and Queens of England, has now been updated to include King Charles III. The charity has also announced a ‘Ruler Amnesty’, whereby anyone with an old-style ruler ending in Elizabeth II can return it to an English Heritage shop between now and 8 May 2023 and swap it for a new Charles III version free-of-charge.

The announcement comes as new research commissioned by the charity shows that England’s long royal history remains an integral part of the country’s cultural identity, with Kings and Queens remaining important to 89% of English respondents*. 59% count them as one of the best things about the country, and 57% consider Kings and Queens to be the most important part of England’s history.¹

Despite this, being a monarch alone does not guarantee history will remember you. Only 25% of those surveyed knew that England had been ruled by a King Stephen (r.1135 – 1154) and 32% were unaware of King John (r. 1199 – 1216), whereas 45% thought there had been a King Albert.

Interestingly, the top three monarchs that people would most like to have lived under were all female: Queen Elizabeth II (28%), Queen Victoria (12%) and Queen Elizabeth I (7%). Indeed, as the baton is handed over to her eldest son, Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy shows no sign of abating, with 38% of respondents naming her their favourite monarch of all time. Henry VIII was the nation’s second favourite monarch (named by 10%), followed closely by his daughter Elizabeth I (9%). Elizabeth II is also seen as the monarch who has most influenced England’s history (named by 28%) and is the monarch most people would like to have dinner with (24%).

The coronation also appears to be inspiring a new generation of history-lovers, with 74% of 10 to 16 year olds (as opposed to 58% of adults) deeming it important to know about Kings and Queens from history, and 69% are interested in learning more about them (as opposed to 47% of adults).¹

Dr Amy Boyington, Senior Properties Historian at English Heritage, said: “The coronation of King Charles III is a significant moment in England’s history and provides a wealth of opportunity to inspire and enthuse people about our country’s past. Many of the historic sites in our care have borne witness to the fascinating lives of England’s former monarchs, from William the Conqueror at Battle Abbey to Elizabeth I at Kenilworth Castle and Victoria at Osborne. We hope our new ‘ruler of rulers’ will encourage visitors, both young and old, to seek out more of the stories and places that have shaped England’s history.”

A giant version of the ruler will be going on display at Kenilworth Castle over the bank holiday weekend, allowing visitors to see how far back through history they can jump. Retired Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford was amongst the first people to try out the giant ruler, reaching King Henry III (r.1216 – 1272).

Greg Rutherford, Olympic gold medal winning long jumper and history enthusiast, said: “I’ve had one of these rulers since I was a boy and it’s one of my most prized possessions. I memorised every single King and Queen. Perhaps as a result, history has become a life-long passion for me and I’m really keen to pass that on to my children – we spend a lot of time as a family exploring castles and looking for treasure. Hopefully, the upcoming coronation will inspire more young people to find out about England’s long history of kings and queens, and jumping the giant ruler certainly brings it all to life!”

Visitors to Kenilworth Castle over the bank holiday will be able to see how far back in history they can jump along the ruler, as well as enjoying screenings of the Coronation live on Saturday and family friendly films for the rest of the weekend. Entry is free but tickets must be booked in advance.

For more information on the Coronation events and ruler amnesty, visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/coronation2023

The new King Charles III ‘ruler of rulers’ are also available to buy at www.english-heritageshop.org.uk

*When asked why Kings and Queens were important (if at all), the inverse proportion (11%) of respondents said they didn’t think that Kings and Queens were important.

¹ Figures in paragraph combines those who ‘somewhat’ or ‘strongly’ agree to the relevant statement.