King Charles III will not appear on Australia's paper currency, which will stop featuring the British monarchy

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King Charles III will not appear on Australia's paper currency, which will stop featuring the British monarchy
King Charles III.Chris Jackson/Getty Images
  • King Charles III will not appear on Australia's new $5 banknotes, the central bank said.
  • The paper currency will instead feature designs representing the country's indigenous people.
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King Charles III will not appear on Australia's new $5 banknotes as the former British colony pivots away from the monarchy.

With the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year, currencies with her image will eventually be replaced. But in Australia, supporters of the republic movement have called for the royal family to be removed from its cash. The $5 bill is the only Australian banknote with an image of a British monarch, though coins feature the late queen.

British royals have been present on Australian currency since the Australian pound, which came out of circulation in the 1960s in favor of the Australian dollar.

But on Thursday, the Reserve Bank of Australia, which prints banknotes, said the new $5 bill will instead feature designs representing indigenous people, though the change will take several years to implement fully.

"This decision by the Reserve Bank Board follows consultation with the Australian government, which supports this change," the bank said in a statement. "The Bank will consult with First Australians in designing the $5 banknote. The new banknote will take a number of years to be designed and printed. In the meantime, the current $5 banknote will continue to be issued. It will be able to be used even after the new banknote is issued."

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Coins, however, will continue to carry images of British monarchs, as they are controlled by the Australian mint rather than the central bank. Australia said new coins will transition to using an image of King Charles III.

After Queen Elizabeth II died in September, Australia said King Charles III would not automatically replace her image on its $5 notes, with much of its other currencies already carrying indigenous Australian figures and artworks.

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