There are billions of banknotes and coins around the world that have Queen Elizabeth’s face on them. They will start to be replaced now that she has passed away.
An image of Queen Elizabeth II has been on coins in the UK for nearly 70 years. The images were updated as the Queen became older. Her image has also been on banknotes in the UK for more than 60 years. She was the first person in the British royal family to have their image on banknotes.
Queen Elizabeth’s image is also on money in some other countries that were ruled by the British in the past.
The Queen’s portrait was first put on a coin in the UK in 1953. Her image on coins in the UK has changed five times. She was first on banknotes in 1960.
The British government plans to collect all money with Queen Elizabeth’s image and replace it with new money that has a portrait of King Charles III.
In the UK, there are currently around 4.7 million banknotes and 29 billion coins.
Some people expect the British government to change postage stamps, flags, and other items with connection to Queen Elizabeth II.
Images of the Queen are also on banknotes and coins in the Commonwealth, an association of 54 countries.
A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is on the $20 banknote in Canada. Amélie Ferron-Craig, a spokesperson for the Bank of Canada, says that there is no requirement to change it.
Australia, where the Queen is on the $5 banknote, will replace her image with King Charles III in the future.
VOCABULARY
- Billion – 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
- Banknote – paper money (sometimes plastic now); note; bill
- Pass away – to die; to stop living
- Image – picture; a painting, photo or drawing
- Royal – related to a king or queen; the family of a king or queen
- Rule – to have power over; to control; to be in control of
- Portrait – an image of a person’s face or head and shoulders
- Collect – bring together; gather; take in
- Replace – to take the place of; to substitute; to come after; to fill in
- Expect – to think something will happen; forecast; predict; suppose
- Postage stamp – a small piece of paper you buy to send a letter or package
- Association – a group of people/organizations that come together; union; partnership;
- Spokesperson – a person who speaks professionally for a company
Original story from CNN below:
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