The face of Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years, is arguably among the most recognized in the world. Her name — and insignia — are displayed throughout Britain, looming large on buildings or subtly present on coins inside pockets.
But with the queen’s death on Thursday, Britons will need to swiftly adjust to seeing the face of King Charles III“With the queen’s exceptionally long reign, few have experienced a regime change. It’s hard to quantify the effect the change of a monarch’s portrait will have on the nation,” said Dominic Chorney, a council member of the British Numismatic Society.
Here are some staples of daily British life that will need to change with the new monarch, including postage stamps and the national anthem.Britain’s Royal Mint, which bills itself as the “largest and most technically advanced integrated minting facility in the world,” was expected to issue a new coin with Prince Charles’s ascent to the throne.
Elizabeth was the first monarch to appear on Bank of England bank notes, and her image was updated five times as she aged. Her “iconic portraits are synonymous with some of the most important work we do,” the bank said in a statement. The bank said it would offer more updates on future currency once a period of mourning of at least 10 days had been observed.
“In the past, coins of various monarchs would circulate for decades, even centuries after their passing,” said Chorney, a specialist in ancient coins. “The approval of new coins takes time,” he added. Designs are authorized by a Royal Mint committee, which was once