Bank of England's advisory group selects 'Nature' with 'Wildlife' sub-theme for new banknote series

On October 14, 2025, the Banknote Imagery Advisory Group (BIAG) convened at the Bank of England and via Microsoft Teams, proposing 'Nature' as the overarching theme for the Series H banknotes, with 'Wildlife' designated as the main sub-theme. This decision stemmed from a public consultation in July 2025, where 'Nature' garnered the highest number of votes. While focus groups indicated that 'Nature' had widespread appeal in the UK, some participants considered it too broad. BIAG dismissed 'Notable Historic Figures' and 'Architecture and Landmarks' due to concerns about recognizability and fairness. The group, led by Victoria Cleland, highlighted their responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty and plans to engage the public on specific imagery by the end of 2026, as well as to involve wildlife experts.