Royal symbols: how stamps, banknotes and coins will change following the Queen's passing
On 8 September 2022, Buckingham Palace announced that Her Majesty, the Queen, had passed away at the age of 96. In an official statement, the palace announced: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon."
Upon the death of Her Majesty, her son, Charles, has succeeded her as the new monarch. He is now known as King Charles III.
Having been the Head of State, the Queen's image is found everywhere in the UK, with her portrait on everything from stamps to banknotes.
For those wondering what will happen now King Charles III is our monarch in terms of symbols and traditions, here's everything you need to know.
Banknotes and coins
Currently, every coin and banknote — from a penny to a £50 note — bears the Queen's portrait.
Upon the death of Her Majesty, the Bank of England released an official statement both paying tribute to her reign and explaining what will happen next with legal tender.
The statement reads: "As the first monarch to feature on Bank of England banknotes, the Queen’s iconic portraits are synonymous with some of the most important work we do. Current banknotes featuring the image of Her Majesty The Queen will continue to be legal tender. A further announcement regarding existing Bank of England banknotes will be made once the period of mourning has been observed."
Currently, there has been no further comments on when legal tender will change to depict King Charles III's portrait. However, we can expect a further announcement on this following the bank holiday for the state funeral of the Queen, which is taking place on Monday, 19 September, 2022.
Stamps
Her Majesty's portrait, drawn in profile, is currently on stamps used for post that is delivered via Royal Mail.
Royal Mail has announced that stamps bearing Her Majesty's portrait remain valid for use after her death. An official statement reads: "Unused stamps that have already been issued remain valid for use. These include Definitive stamps (those that show the Queen Elizabeth’s head against a plain background) and Special Stamps."
Currently, there has been no information revealed about when stamps will change to depict King Charles III. A statement from Royal Mail reads: "We will announce future stamp issues at the appropriate time. We will consult Buckingham Palace in the usual way before making any further announcements. For now, we remember the Queen’s lifetime of dedication to public service. There are sufficient stocks to fulfil anticipated demand."
The National Anthem
Britain's national anthem, God Save the Queen, is regularly sung across the UK at a variety of occasions, from school events to sporting fixtures.
Now that King Charles III is the monarch, the anthem will change from God Save the Queen to God Save the King. The majority of lyrics will be the same, with the exception of changing "Queen" to "King" and adapting pronouns.
In her announcement to the nation following the death of Her Majesty, the Prime Minister, Liz Truss, finished her address with saying: "God save the King."
Passports
The beginning of every UK passport bears the following message:
“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.”
Following the death of Her Majesty, new text will be used to reference King Charles III, replacing "Her Majesty" for "His Majesty." However, the Passport Office has not yet shared information on when this change will take place.
All current passports will still be valid after the Queen's death; renewal is only required when a passport expires.
Prayers
In the UK, the monarch is the Head of the Church of England, which has been the case since the reign of Henry VIII. This means that King Charles III is now "Defender of the Faith."
As part of Church of England services, there are prayers included in the Common Prayer Book to honour Her Majesty. These are expected to be modified for the new monarch, King Charles III. Currently, plans for this have not been announced, with the Church of England focusing on prayers in memory of Her Majesty and setting up a Book of Condolence.
With other religions that say prayers for the Queen, such as Judaism, there is an assumption that this will change in time to reflect the new monarch, too.
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