Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away aged 96 yesterday, surrounded by her family at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, thought to be one of her favourite residences.
She has been an integral part of British life, her portrait, emblems, and iconography adorning coins, banknotes, stamps, flags, and passports that we all use on a daily basis.
Work will soon begin on changing many of these items to reference King Charles III.
The most straightforward change will be in the national anthem. “God save our gracious Queen” will be replaced by “God save our gracious King.”
Following on from that there will be a change in the money in many countries which carries the Queen’s portrait – the Queen’s image features on the currency of 35 countries worldwide.
In the UK there are over 4 billion banknotes in circulation with the Queen’s face on them, these notes will continue to be legal tender and will gradually be removed from circulation before new notes are printed with the new King’s face.
Like with bank notes, King Charles’s portrait will soon feature on British stamps as well as on some other Commonwealth countries. The royal will approve the designs, and may have already sat for the portrait that will appear on the stamps.
The British passport will also need t be changed as it currently states: “Her Britannic Majesty’s Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.”
New passports that will now be issued will bear the male pronouns.
Existing passports remain valid and may only be updated once they have expired.
