LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) - Images of animals will feature on the next series of banknotes from the Bank of England, as the central bank shifts away from historical figures such as William
Wildlife to replace humans on next series of UK banknotes
Bank of England unveils new wildlife-themed banknotes
LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) - Images of animals will feature on the next series of banknotes from the Bank of England, as the central bank shifts away from historical figures such as William Shakespeare, Winston Churchill and Jane Austen over the coming years.
Rationale behind the change
"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," Victoria Cleland, the BoE's chief cashier, said.
History of figures on UK banknotes
Bank of England 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' ongoing presence
King Charles' portrait will continue to appear on the next series of notes as well, the BoE said.
Public consultation and theme selection
The BoE held a consultation on a change to the design of banknotes in July 2025, inviting views from the public.
The theme of nature was supported by 60% of the 44,000 responses, narrowly beating the category of "architecture and landmarks" on 56% and "notable historical figures" on 38%. Other categories included "arts, culture and sport", "innovation" and "noteworthy milestones".
Details of the new wildlife notes
The new notes will feature wildlife native to the United Kingdom and will not include household pets, the BoE said. It plans to run a second consultation in the coming months asking for the public's views on specific animals to feature on the notes taken from a list created by British wildlife experts.
Other UK banknote issuers
The BoE is not the only producer of banknotes in the United Kingdom. Notes are also produced by seven commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
(Reporting by Suban Abdulla; editing by William Schomberg and David Milliken)
