As the monarch commemorated his 19th wedding anniversary with Queen Camilla in a private setting, the occasion was also imbued with sorrow, as it coincided with the third anniversary of his father Prince Philip’s passing.
The late Duke of Edinburgh passed away in April 2021, just two months before what would have been his 100th birthday, during the UK’s national lockdown.
However, Tuesday also marked the 22nd anniversary of the funeral of Charles’ grandmother, the Queen Mother, with whom he shared an exceptionally close bond, particularly considering his occasionally strained relationship with his own parents. The 75-year-old King has openly expressed his strong connection to the Queen Mother and has acknowledged modeling his own approach to grandparenting after hers.
On becoming a grandfather, Charles has previously said: “It’s a different part of your life. The great thing is to encourage them. Show them things to take their interest. My grandmother did that, she was wonderful. It is very important to create a bond when they are very young.”
While Charles and Camilla marked their wedding anniversary privately, the King did engage in a modest event at Buckingham Palace on the afternoon of April 9 – and received a rather extraordinary anniversary present! He hosted Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and chief cashier Sarah John in the palace’s 1844 Room, where Mr. Bailey presented the King with the inaugural banknotes featuring Charles’s portrait.
This marked a significant milestone for the monarch, who is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, to witness his likeness on the new polymer notes, just over a year and a half into his reign. He becomes only the second British monarch to be depicted on Bank of England notes – and notably, the first to replace another sovereign’s image.
Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’s mother, was the first British sovereign to be depicted on a £1 paper note in 1960, marking a departure from the previous depiction of Britannia as the sole character.
“We have come to present you with your bank notes,” Mr Bailey told the King as he showed him a leather-bound booklet containing the historic banknotes. “This is quite a big moment because we’ve never changed the sovereign on the bank notes because the Queen was the first sovereign to be on the bank notes.”
The new banknotes featuring Charles will be released starting June 5th, coexisting with those displaying his late mother’s image which will remain in circulation.
The issuance of new Charles notes will be limited to the replacement of worn-out ones and to accommodate any surge in demand, aligning with the royal household’s directive to mitigate environmental and financial consequences.
During the meeting, the King also apologised for postponing their initial meeting, due to his health issues earlier this year. “Good morning Governor. I’m sorry it’s a bit delayed this. I hope it isn’t too delayed,” Charles, who has been scaling back his public appearances and engagements, said.
But Mr Bailey replied: “Not at all. We’re still in advance of launching them.” “Oh you are? Great,” Charles remarked.
