The first banknotes with the effigy of Carlos III, who became king after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8, which will enter circulation in the United Kingdom in mid-2024, were presented this Tuesday by the Bank of England.
“The king’s portrait will appear on the existing models of the four notes” of 5, 10, 20 and 50 pounds, “without further modification” to their design, the central bank announced in a press release.
The image of Carlos III will appear instead of his mother’s face on the obverse of the banknotes and inserted in the transparent security window, according to the images revealed by the monetary institute.
polymer banknotes
The portrait is an engraving made from a photo “provided by the royal family in 2013” and the images, completed in recent months, have been validated by the monarch, a Bank of England spokesman told AFP.
Polymer notes, which have gradually replaced paper money in the UK since 2016, will be produced on a large scale from the first half of 2023 before entering circulation the following year.
The banknotes with the image of Elizabeth II will continue to circulate in parallel and will only be withdrawn when they are damaged to “minimize the environmental and economic impact” of the change of monarch, following the guidelines of the Royal Household, the statement specifies.
“Minimize environmental impact”
The first coins with the effigy of Carlos III entered into circulation at the beginning of December, appearing in post offices throughout the country.
Some 27 billion coins are currently in circulation in the UK, bearing the face of the late Elizabeth II: they too will remain valid and will only be replaced when damaged or worn.
Source: BFM TV
