As the Isle of Man prepares to welcome King Charles III later today, most will have noticed he is being described not just as King, but as Lord of Mann.

With roads already closed across parts of the capital and final preparations well under way ahead of the historic visit, it's a title unique to the Isle of Man and one with centuries of history behind it.

While the title will be well known to many on the island, others may not realise why the monarch is referred to as the Lord of Mann rather than simply the King

Although the island is a British Crown Dependency, it is not part of the United Kingdom and has its own parliament, Tynwald, legal system and government.

The British monarch is the island's Head of State and holds the historic title of Lord of Mann.

The title dates back hundreds of years.

Before 1504, the island's rulers were generally known as the Kings of Mann, but the title later changed to Lord of Mann.

Since the Isle of Man's revestment to the British Crown in 1765, the reigning British monarch has automatically held the title.

King Charles succeeded to the role immediately upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and was formally proclaimed Lord of Mann in a ceremony on the island shortly afterwards.

A second Proclamation Ceremony was held in St John’s on Friday, September 16, 2022.

The second Proclamation was made from Tynwald Hill and a resolution of loyalty and condolence was put before a sitting of Tynwald Court in the Royal Chapel.

The ceremony was based on the one held at St John’s in February 1952 to proclaim Queen Elizabeth II.

The Lord of Mann is represented in the Island by the Lieutenant Governor.​

Today's visit marks his first official visit to the Isle of Man as Lord of Mann, making it a significant constitutional occasion.

During the visit, the King will address a special sitting of Tynwald, continuing a tradition established by Queen Elizabeth II during her first visit as Lord of Mann in 1955, before meeting members of the public and taking part in further engagements in Douglas.

While this is his first visit in his capacity as Lord of Mann, the King is no stranger to the island.

Before ascending the throne, he visited on several occasions as Prince of Wales, including presiding over Tynwald Day in 2000.

His most recent visit came in 2012 alongside the then Duchess of Cornwall during Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Isle of Man Today will have a live blog covering the King's visit, with our team of reporters bringing you the latest news, photos and videos throughout the day.

Full coverage will also feature in this week's Manx Independent, in shops on Thursday.