Museum visitors catch first glimpse of King Charles banknotes

People in the UK get their first glimpse on Wednesday of banknotes bearing the image of King Charles III.

The four new banknotes with the king's portrait £5, £10, £20 and £50 are displayed at the central bank's in-house museum at London headquarters as part of an exhibition dedicated to "The Future of Money", before entering circulation on 5thJune. Based on a photograph owned by the royal household and made available in 2013, Charles approved the final designs of the notes featuring his engraved portrait in late 2022.

Jennifer Adam, Curator, Bank of England Museum said "This is the first time that the Bank of England has issued a note with a new monarch on it, because Queen Elizabeth II has been on our banknotes since the 1960s. So it's the first time that we as a public will have seen this transition as well."

The new notes are part of a section on the future of cash, and "The Future of Money" exhibition, set to run alongside the permanent displays until September 2025.