Banknotes bearing the likeness of King Charles III are set to enter circulation on June 5, 2024. The Bank of England has announced that the portrait of the king will be incorporated into the existing designs of all denominations (5, 10, 20, and 50 pounds) without altering the existing motifs.
The king’s image will feature on the obverse of the banknotes and will also appear as a cameo in a transparent protective window.
The History of Qiwi and Its Perspectives After the Revocation of Kiwi Bank License
The announcement confirms that banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II will continue to be legal tender and will co-circulate with the banknotes featuring King Charles III. New banknotes will only be issued to replace worn-out ones and to meet the overall increase in demand for banknotes.
“Our strategy aligns with the guidance from the royal family which aims to minimize the environmental and financial impacts of this transition. This means that the public will gradually become familiar with the new banknotes bearing the likeness of King Charles III,” the bank stated.
Banknotes from the existing series can be exchanged for the new version through the Bank of England. The designs of the banknotes featuring King Charles III were revealed on December 20, 2022.
On February 6, Buckingham Palace disclosed that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer. However, the specific type and stage of the cancer were not provided. Prince William of Wales, the heir to the British throne, will assume some of the public responsibilities of the King of Great Britain.
The coronation of Charles III, 74, and his wife, Camilla, 75, took place in London on May 6, 2023. The solemn ceremony occurred at Westminster Abbey, making Charles III the 40th monarch to be crowned at the age of 74, the oldest at the time of succession. This coronation transpired nearly eight months after the passing of Charles III’s mother, Elizabeth II, who held the record for the longest-reigning monarch in British history—70 years. Throughout this time, her son was the heir to the throne. The country’s preceding coronation was on June 2, 1953, when Elizabeth assumed the throne at 25 years old.