This text is the translation ofa CTV News article.

After her death on September 8, Queen Elizabeth II continues to feature on the $20 bill and Canadian coins. With 70 years on the throne, she is Canada’s longest-reigning monarch.

Although there is no legislation requiring the reigning monarch to appear on Canadian currency, there is a long tradition of doing so. But for now, the timeline for replacing the Queen’s images on coins and banknotes remains unclear.

According to the Bank of Canada, which produces the country’s banknotes, it will be years before images of the king appear on the $20 bill. The current $20 bill is expected to circulate for many years, Bank of Canada spokeswoman Amélie Ferron-Craig said.

“Once a new portrait has been selected, the bill design process begins and the bill will be ready for issuance several years later,” Ms. Ferron-Craig added to CTV News in an April 12 email.

According to that Bank of Canada Law, the Minister of Finance is responsible for approving the portrait of new banknotes. Ferron-Craig said the Bank of Canada did not receive departmental approval to design a new $20 bill.

The Royal Canadian Mint is responsible for the manufacture and distribution of Canadian coins. The Mint’s executive director of public affairs, Alex Reeves, said the federal government was responsible for the coin’s design, but no guidelines had yet been issued for a new look featuring the king’s effigy. For the time being, the mint will continue to produce coins featuring images of Queen Elizabeth, Reeves said.

Also read: A very special new coin honoring the Queen

“We have a team and process in place to implement the government’s decision in a timely manner once it is announced,” Reeves told CTV News in an April 12 email.

Crowning a “natural occasion” for currency update

CTV News royal commentator Richard Berthelsen believes the federal government will announce plans for new designs before the king’s coronation on May 6.

“There is some public interest in what the Canadian government is doing to commemorate the coronation and the beginning of the new reign,” Berthelsen told CTV News in an April 13 phone interview. “The coronation would be a natural opportunity for announcements on some of those elements.”

Any image of the king used in Canada must have his approval, Berthelsen said.

“It will be images produced in Canada, we will not use UK images,” he added. “But it is always sent for approval [monarque] before they are used, just like in the UK.”

In the UK, the Bank of England has already unveiled its new banknote design, dedicated to King Charles III. These banknotes include denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 pounds. The King’s portrait will replace the current images of Queen Elizabeth II, while the rest of the design of each banknote remains the same.

According to the Bank of England’s website, the new banknotes will come into circulation in mid-2024. Banknotes bearing images of the late Queen will continue to circulate and remain legal tender.

Coins bearing the King’s official likeness were put into circulation in December 2022, along with the 50p coin and a commemorative £5 coin. According to the Royal Canadian Mint, the effigy of King Charles III. self endorsed. Traditionally, the king’s portrait faces the left, in the opposite direction to that of his mother.

“Unlike the Royal Mint and the British Bank of England, which seem to have a plan for a fairly quick transition, we haven’t really seen that in Canada,” Berthelsen said. “Britain was much better prepared for this transition.”

Could the new coin designs rule out King Charles?

In February, Australia’s central bank announced that it would remove images of the monarchy from its banknotes. According to a Feb. 2 press release, the Reserve Bank of Australia will update the country’s $5 note to include an Indigenous design in place of King Charles. The current $5 note features a portrait of the late Queen and is the only Australian note to feature a member of the royal family.

The central bank plans to consult with indigenous groups on the new design, a process that could take years. Meanwhile, the image of King Charles III is still expected to replace the late Queen’s portrait on coins coming into circulation later this year.

It’s still unclear whether the Canadian government will do anything similar, although it’s entirely possible, Berthelsen said.

Motifs on banknotes have varied over the decades, ranging from reigning monarchs and their families to former Canadian prime ministers. In 2018, Canada launched a new $10 bill featuring Viola Desmond, a civil rights activist from Nova Scotia. Ms. Desmond is the first non-royal woman to appear on Canadian coins.

Also read:

“They might decide to say, ‘We’re going to take this opportunity and move away from the current sovereign on the $20 bill,'” argued Berthelsen. “Her philosophy has changed a bit over the years, so there’s no reason why she shouldn’t change again.”

Keeping the late Queen on the $20 bill is another option, the commenter said. The government may decide to continue showing Queen Elizabeth II “on a historical basis” as she is Canada’s longest-reigning sovereign.

“He’s a historical figure now and we have other historical figures on the banknotes, they’re not all alive,” he recalled.

But when it comes to coinage, Canada has a long tradition of updating effigies to represent the current ruler, Berthelsen said. Therefore, it is likely that the Royal Canadian Mint will update their coin design to honor King Charles III.

How about a royal portrait?

According to government protocol, portraits of the late Queen Elizabeth II are replaced by those of King Charles III. replaced when a new portrait becomes available. These portraits are printed and framed for use in Canadian government offices and institutions.

In an email sent to CTV News on April 13, Canadian Heritage said it contacted Buckingham Palace to request an official Canadian portrait of King Charles III shortly after the Queen’s death. The Department is currently working on creating an official Canadian portrait of the King and will publish it as soon as it becomes available.

This follows the presentation of the first official portrait of King Charles III. on March 29th. The oil painting was commissioned by Illustrated London News (ILN) and produced by Alastair Balford.

The official Canadian portrait will likely show the king with the Canadian orders, decorations and medals he wears, Berthelsen said. The Canadian government also likely commissioned various versions of the portrait, including one of King Charles III. Alone and another with the King next to Queen Camilla.