They will begin issuing in mid-2024. Elizabeth II banknotes can be used as long as they are not damaged.
After coins, it was the turn of banknotes. On Tuesday, the Bank of England unveiled the first banknotes depicting Charles III, who became king after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8. They will go into circulation in Britain in mid-2024.
"The portrait of the king will appear on existing models of the £5, £10, £20 and £50 banknotes, with no other changes" to its design, the central bank announced in a statement. An image of Charles III will appear in place of his mother's face on the front of the banknotes and as a medallion in a transparent security window, according to visual representations provided by the currency house.
The portrait is an engraving taken from a photograph "provided by the royal family in 2013." The designs, finalized in recent months, have been approved by the monarch, a Bank of England spokesman told AFP. The polymer banknotes, which have been gradually replacing paper money in Britain since 2016, will be produced on a large scale from the first half of 2023 and will come into circulation next year.