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Will the national anthem and currency change following the queen’s death? Here’s what to know

With King Charles III as the new monarch, there are questions around what will change in the U.K.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, there are many changes in store for the British royal family, most notably a new monarch, King Charles III.

As the world mourns the loss of Britain's longest-serving monarch, there are questions around what will happen to the national anthem, currency and stamps now that the queen has died.

National anthem

Per the royal family’s official website, the British national anthem dates back to the 18th century.

“‘God Save The King’ was a patriotic song first publicly performed in London in 1745, which came to be known as the National Anthem at the beginning of the nineteenth century,” the website reads.

The royal family's official website also states that "Queen" is substituted for "King" in the national anthem depending on who is ruling, as seen with the change to "God Save the Queen" when Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1952.

On Saturday, Sept. 9, the first official version of the new national anthem was played by the royal band after King Charles was formally proclaimed the King of England.

new coin portrait of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II was a regular fixture on British currency.Justin Tallis / AFP via Getty Images

Currency

The queen ushered in many "firsts" for the British monarchy, and she was notably the first monarch to have her photo featured on Bank of England banknotes.

In an official statement, the bank revealed that currency bearing the queen's image will remain in circulation for the time being. Any potential changes will be announced following the official mourning period.

"Current banknotes featuring the image of Her Majesty The Queen will continue to be legal tender. A further announcement regarding existing Bank of England banknotes will be made once the period of mourning has been observed," the statement reads.

Stamps

In addition to currency, the queen was also featured on British stamps throughout her reign. According to the Royal Mail Group, "every stamp created during her reign featured an image of Queen Elizabeth II." Of course, she also appeared on limited edition stamps for special occasions such as royal events, anniversaries, jubilees, weddings and birthdays.

On its website, the Royal Mail Group revealed that unused stamps bearing the queen's image are still valid. Any previously announced Special Issue stamps, including a set that was planned for later this year, will still be released "though the launch dates may be amended."

King Charles III will certainly have his own stamp at some point in time, but out of respect for the queen, the Royal Mail Group “will announce future stamp issues at the appropriate time” after consulting Buckingham Palace.

Portrait Released For The Queen's 90th Birthday
These six stamps were issued to mark the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.Royal Mail via Getty Images