Coins and Banknotes Featuring King Charles III to Be Revealed at End of the Year

One of the first tangible effects of King Charles III's ascension to the throne will be revealed by the end of 2022. On Monday, the Bank of England announced that new paper banknotes featuring the king's face will be revealed by the end of the year. However, this currency won't actually be in circulation until sometime in 2024.

England's currency of pounds is represented by paper banknotes, and many of them will soon feature a portrait of King Charles III. According to a report by Entertainment Tonight, his image will grace the £5, £10, £20 and £50 beginning in mid-2024. His face will appear on the polymer series of notes, but other than that, the design will not change at all. The king's portrait will be printed on both sides of the bill as well as the see-through security window. These designs will be revealed to the public by the end of 2022.

All four of these polymer banknotes currently feature images of Queen Elizabeth II, and according to the bank, these will continue to be printed. The press release said that new banknotes will only be printed to replace old, worn-out banknotes, or to meet the demand for an overall increase in physical currency circulation. This is a part of the royal family's effort to minimize "the environmental and financial impact of the change of monarch."

At 73 years old, King Charles is taking over for the longest-reigning monarch in British history, and overseeing the first succession of the information age. A butler from the royal household, Grant Harrold, spoke to Entertainment Tonight about how he believes King Charles will adapt to the throne.

"He's an amazing man. He's like his mother. He's funny, he's witty, he's about tradition," Harrold said. "...I think he will be a good king, personally, because I've seen what he's like as a person."

So far, most of King Charles' royal duties have revolved around laying his mother to rest and honoring her lifetime as monarch. When news of her death went public, he issued a public statement saying: "We gather today in remembrance of the remarkable span of The Queen's dedicated service to her nations and peoples. While very young, Her late Majesty pledged herself to serve her country and her people and to maintain the precious principles of constitutional government which lie at the heart of our nation. This vow she kept with unsurpassed devotion. She set an example of selfless duty which, with God's help and your counsels, I am resolved faithfully to follow."