The first banknotes with King Charles’s face on them were given to him
The Governor of the Bank of England has given Britain’s King Charles III the first banknotes with his image on them, according to DPA.
The monarch expressed astonishment that he was just the second British monarch to be shown on a banknote, but he also commended the banknotes as „very well designed.”
Andrew Bailey presented Charles with the banknotes on Tuesday at Buckingham Palace in a leather-bound booklet.
Just one and a half years into his reign, the monarch, who is receiving treatment for an unidentified form of cancer, found great significance in seeing his likeness appear on the new polymer banknotes.
Bailey opened the pages to reveal the front and back of the £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes that Charles had inspected. These were the first banknotes in each denomination to contain the serial number 01 000001. Charles grinned and pointed out specific details.
The notes are signed by Sarah John, the head cashier of the Bank of England, who accompanied Bailey. The King grinned widely as he welcomed his guests to Room 1844.
Charles is the first British sovereign whose image has been substituted with another on Bank of England banknotes, making him the only other such example.
Despite the fact that banknotes have been in circulation since the late 17th century, Queen Elizabeth II, the mother of Charles, was the first British monarch to be honored with an appearance on the £1 paper note in 1960.
