British Banknotes to Feature Animals After Public Vote, Replacing Historical Figures

The Bank of England has announced a shortlist of 18 native UK animals for a new series of banknotes, following a public poll that chose 'nature' as the theme. The redesign marks a departure from the tradition of featuring historical figures like Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, and Alan Turing. The public can vote until July 3 on up to two animals from each of three groups: mammals (bottlenose dolphin, brown hare, European hedgehog, grey seal, pine marten, red fox), birds (Atlantic puffin, barn owl, common kingfisher, Eurasian curlew, great spotted woodpecker, white-tailed eagle), and amphibians, insects, and fish (Atlantic salmon, basking shark, buff-tailed bumblebee, common frog, emperor dragonfly, marsh fritillary butterfly). The Bank of England will consider the results, prioritizing visual distinctiveness. Some environmental groups, like the RSPCA, criticized the shortlist for missing less charismatic species. The current series, launched in 2016, features Churchill on the £5, Austen on the £10, Turner on the £20, and Turing on the £50. Queen Elizabeth II's portrait appeared on banknotes from 1960, and King Charles III notes began circulating in 2024. The 2025 public poll received 44,000 responses, with 'nature' at 60% and 'architecture and landmarks' at 56%, while 'notable historical figures' fell to 38%.