Canada Unveils New $20 Banknote Featuring King Charles III, First in Over 70 Years
- Canada revealed a new $20 banknote featuring King Charles III at a Bank of Canada event on Thursday
- The note carries a unique vertical design and includes imagery inspired by the King's commitment to the environment
- Canada became the first Commonwealth country outside Britain to put King Charles on its banknotes since his ascension
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Canada has unveiled a new $20 banknote bearing the portrait of King Charles III, marking the first time a new monarch has appeared on a Canadian banknote in over 70 years, since the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022.
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem described Thursday's unveiling as "a very special day" at the official ceremony where the note was revealed to the public.
Source: Getty Images
What makes the new $20 note different
According to BBC, the banknote stands out for its vertical orientation, making it only the second vertically designed note in Canadian history. The first was the $10 bill honouring Black civil rights advocate Viola Desmond, whose design was named the best banknote in the world by the International Bank Note Society in 2018.
The back of the new $20 note displays the Vimy Ridge memorial in France, commemorating Canada's contribution during World War I. The design also features a floral and leafy pattern "inspired by the King's lifetime dedication to the environment," according to the Bank of Canada. Some design elements were selected following consultation with an Indigenous advisory council.
Wayne Long, a Liberal MP and secretary of state for the Canada Revenue Agency, said at the unveiling that the symbols on the banknote "serve as a powerful reminder of who we are as a nation and what we value."
Canada first outside UK to feature King Charles on notes
With this release, Canada becomes the first Commonwealth country outside Britain to place King Charles on its banknotes since he ascended the throne. Fellow Commonwealth nations New Zealand and Australia have featured the King on coins, but Australia confirmed it would not put him on its banknotes. Instead, Australia is developing a new $5 note that will honour the culture and history of Indigenous Australians, replacing the existing design that carries Queen Elizabeth II's image.
The new Canadian $20 note is expected to enter circulation early next year, Macklem said.
King Charles is Canada's head of state and is represented in the country by Governor General Louise Arbour. His public standing in Canada received a modest boost amid rising tensions with the United States, including the ongoing trade dispute and comments by US President Donald Trump about making Canada the "51st state."
Prime Minister Mark Carney invited the King to open Canada's parliament in May, describing the visit as one that "clearly underscores the sovereignty of our country."
Polling nonetheless suggests that a significant portion of Canadians, particularly in the French-speaking province of Quebec, favour ending the country's formal ties to the British monarchy.
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Source: Legit.ng
