At a ceremony held today at Buckingham Palace, King Charles was officially presented with the first editions of the new £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes, which now bear his portrait.
This event marks a significant moment in Charles’s transition to king, especially as he undergoes treatment for undisclosed cancer, and follows the introduction of new stamps and coins already circulating in the realm.
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Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, presented the monarch with a leather booklet containing the first legal tender editions of these historic notes. King Charles is only the second British monarch to adorn Bank of England notes, succeeding Queen Elizabeth II, and is the first time a sovereign’s image has been updated for another on British currency.
The notes, praised by the king for their “exquisite design,” will be released to the public on June 5th. King Charles’s image on the new polymer notes is based on a photograph taken in 2013. A subtle change noted in the new notes is the absence of a crown in King Charles’s portrait, unlike notes issued during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
The introduction of the new notes into the financial system will be phased in from June 5th, with King Charles’s portrait appearing on both the front and the transparent security window of the notes. The historical figures on the backs of the notes will remain the same: Sir Winston Churchill (£5), Jane Austen (£10), JMW Turner (£20), and Alan Turing (£50).
In an effort to minimize the environmental and financial impact of the transition, new notes will be printed only to replace worn ones or to meet an overall increase in demand, following an express request from the Royal Household.
Photos: Flickr / bankofengland – – This content was created with the assistance of AI