LONDON — In recent months, as Britain recovered from the Queen’s mourning, the beginning of a new reign began to appear in the country’s daily life.
England’s World Cup team sang “God Save the King”. For the first time in decades, a king has a new prime minister. Now, as Britons prepare for their first Christmas without Queen Elizabeth II’s traditional message, the Bank of England has announced another major change.
on Tuesday, local time announced A new pound note bearing the portrait of Charles III is expected to enter circulation in mid-2024.
New £5, £10, £20 and £50 new banknotes will only be printed to replace worn-out currencies or to meet increased demand. simultaneous.
The announcement marked a new page in British history, with King Charles ascending the throne in place of his mother and appearing in ceremonies and symbols proving the royal family’s presence in everyday life.
“This is an important moment,” said the bank’s president, Andrew Bailey, in a statement, adding that Prince Charles is the second monarch to appear on the pound note.
Although sterling notes were first issued at the end of the 17th century, British sovereigns only appeared on sterling notes after 1960, with Queen Elizabeth II as the first monarch. Her first notes had a portrait of the Queen in her family’s clothes. diamond crown.
According to the Bank of England, “it was criticized for being a formal, stately image and a harsh and unrealistic portrait”.
According to Banks, a second portrait by a different designer received better reviews because people thought it was more realistic and made her look more “relaxed.” Other portraits were later introduced, but the most familiar to most Britons is the 1990 painting of the more mature Queen. The same portrait continued to appear after her 2016, when banknotes began to be printed on plastic rather than paper.
Since the 17th century, monarchs have been represented by coins facing in the opposite direction from the previous king, so King Charles faces left and his mother faces right.
The banknotes do not appear to follow the same tradition, as the sovereign is depicted frontally.
In recent years, Britain has paid tribute to prominent national figures by introducing currencies featuring former prime minister Winston Churchill, novelist Jane Austen, painter JMW Turner and mathematician Alan Turing. increase.
The Royal Mint, the official maker of British coins, has also announced the creation of 5 pound and 50 pence coins featuring a statue of the king, created by a sculptor. Martin JenningsThe Royal Mint said it would not replace Queen Elizabeth’s coins in order to “minimize the environmental and financial impact of a change of monarch”.
