King Charles has been presented with new British Pounds that features his own face instead of the Queen’s for the first time, which he described as “elegant”.
The king’s face will appear on all £5, £10, £20, and £50 pound polymer banknotes from June 5 and they will serve as legal tender among existing notes which feature the late Queen Elizabeth II.
“They’re very elegant these ones I must say,” the king said.
“Yeah they’re very well designed,” he added.
A leather booklet containing the coloured notes featuring his face on the front were handed to him by Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and Chief Cashier Sarah John.
“I am very proud that the Bank is releasing the design of our new banknotes which will carry a portrait of King Charles III,” Mr Baily said.
“This is a significant moment, as The King is only the second monarch to feature on our banknotes. People will be able to use these new notes as they start to enter circulation in 2024,” he said.
This feat comes after the portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth featured on the first British banknote for 64 years, since 1960, and her picture still adorns today’s notes which first appeared in 1990.
Responding to the Governor, the Monarch said, “This is what is so surprising. You would think that it goes back.”
However, Australia, one of the 15 Commonwealth realms, announced in January that the British monarchy will no longer feature on Australian bank notes.
The new $5 bill, which previously had an image of Queen Elizabeth, will not have King Charles portrait. An indigenous design will feature on the note, instead.
Australian coins, on the other hand, will still feature the king’s portrait with $1, $2 and 5 cent coins already in circulation.
In, the UK, the new notes will have the same reverse side characters as the previous editions: Alan Turing on the 50 pounds, Jane Austen on the 10 pounds, JMW Turner on the 20 pounds, and Sir Winston Churchill on the five pounds.
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