King Charles was presented with the first banknotes bearing his portrait by the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, and apologised for the delay as he continues with his cancer treatment
King Charles apologised for the delay on his meeting with the Bank of England in which he was shown the first banknotes bearing his portrait.
The monarch received a leather-bound booklet containing the historic legal tender from Andrew Bailey at Buckingham Palace today and he said he was surprised to be only the second monarch to feature on them.
Charles, who has scaled down his engagements since being diagnosed with cancer, expressed his regret to Mr Bailey over the delay in their meeting. “Good morning Governor. I’m sorry it’s a bit delayed this. I hope it isn’t too delayed,” he said.
Mr Bailey, however, reassured him by saying: “Not at all. We’re still in advance of launching them.” Charles seemed relieved and commented: “Oh you are? Great.”
Charles inspected the four £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes the first low-numbered note of each denomination with 01 000001 serial numbers and pointed and smiled at the details as Mr Bailey turned the pages, showing the front and back.
They were joined by Sarah John, the Bank of England’s Chief Cashier, whose signature appears on the currency, and the King gave a broad grin as he greeted his guests in the 1844 Room. Ms John informed the King that these were the number 1 notes in the series and that the public would start seeing them early in June. In response, the King said: “I wondered how it would come out.”
He is only the second British monarch to grace the Bank of England’s notes and it is the first time one sovereign’s image has been replaced with another. Although notes began to be issued from the late 17th century, Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was the first British sovereign to be given the honour in 1960 on a £1 paper note. Before this, Britannia was the only figure to grace British banknotes.
As Mr Bailey prepared to present the new currency, he said: “We have come to present you with your bank notes.” This elicited a chuckle from Charles, who quipped: “Oh right.” Mr Bailey explained the historical significance: “This is quite a big moment because we’ve never changed the sovereign on the bank notes because the Queen was the first sovereign to be on the bank notes.”
To which Charles responded: “This is what is so surprising. You would think that it goes back.” Upon examining the new notes, the King commended the detailed security measures, noting: “A lot trouble taken in on the security side.” He also complimented their aesthetics, saying: “They’re very well designed I must say,”.
The updated banknotes will start circulating from June 5, featuring Charles’s portrait prominently on the front and also within the transparent security window, visible from both sides. The reverse of the notes will continue to showcase the familiar historical figures Sir Winston Churchill on the £5, Jane Austen on the £10, JMW Turner on the £20, and Alan Turing on the £50.
Charles showed particular appreciation for the portraits, remarking on the £5 note: “It’s a very good photograph of Sir Winston.” He also showed a fondness for the designs on the £20 and £50 notes, commenting: “They’re very elegant these ones, I must say,”. Existing banknotes featuring the portrait of the late Queen will remain as legal tender. Thus, notes bearing Elizabeth II’s image and those with King Charles III’s image will circulate simultaneously.
To minimise both environmental and financial impact of this change, new banknotes will only be printed to replace worn-out ones or to meet any upsurge in demand. This aligns with the Royal Household’s wishes. For the King, Tuesday was a day of mixed feelings. It marked his 19th wedding anniversary with the Queen but also commemorated the third death anniversary of his father, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh.
Furthermore, it was the 22nd anniversary of his grandmother, the Queen Mother’s funeral. Meanwhile, Camilla has been revered as the monarchy’s “saviour” for maintaining “the show on the road” while the King and the Princess of Wales undergo cancer treatment. Charles and Camilla tied the knot on April 9, 2005, in a private civil ceremony at Windsor’s Guildhall, followed by a televised blessing in St George’s Chapel.
Their wedding was delayed by a day just four days before the event due to a clash with Pope John Paul II’s funeral in Vatican City, which Charles had to attend as his mother’s representative. A lot has shifted since Charles married his long-term sweetheart.
Camilla was held responsible for the collapse of his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales, and she faced severe backlash when their affair first came to light. Over the years, she gradually assumed a more significant role within the Royal family, including riding alongside Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee carriage procession.
She was crowned Queen Camilla beside the King at last year’s coronation. Charles, aged 75, made a rare public appearance on Easter Sunday, attending church with the Queen and greeting throngs of admirers.
