Wildlife to replace humans on next series of British banknotes
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King Charles’ portrait will continue to appear on the next series of notes.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Images of animals will feature on the next series of Bank of England (BOE) banknotes, as the central bank shifts away from historical figures such as William Shakespeare, Winston Churchill and Jane Austen in the coming years.
“Nature is a great choice from a banknote authentication perspective and means we can showcase the UK’s rich and varied wildlife on the next series of banknotes,” said BOE chief cashier Victoria Cleland.
BOE banknotes have featured monarchs since Queen Elizabeth first appeared on one in 1960, while Shakespeare was the first historic figure to appear in 1970.
King Charles’ portrait will continue to appear on the next series of notes as well, BOE said.
It held a consultation on a change to the design of banknotes in July 2025, inviting public views.
The theme of nature was supported by 60 per cent of the 44,000 responses, narrowly beating “architecture and landmarks” at 56 per cent and “notable historical figures” at 38 per cent. Other categories included “arts, culture and sport”, “innovation” and “noteworthy milestones”.
The new notes will feature wildlife native to the UK and will not include household pets, BOE said.
It plans to run a second consultation in the coming months to gather public views on specific animals to feature on the notes, taken from a list compiled by British wildlife experts.
BOE is not the only producer of banknotes in the UK. Notes are also issued by seven commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland. REUTERS
