King’s coat of arms to feature on new UK passports

King Charles’s coat of arms will appear on the front of all new passports from December, the Home Office said.

Scenic views from across four of the UK’s counties, including Ben Nevis, the Lake District, Three Cliffs Bay and the Giant’s Causeway, will also feature in the updated documents.

This is the first complete redesign in five years for British passports, which changed from claret to dark blue following Britain’s departure from the European Union.

The government, Queen Elizabeth II. He said passports bearing Elizabeth’s coat of arms would remain valid until their expiration date.

Passports have been issued in the King’s name since 2023 and feature “His Majesty” on the pages, although the late Queen’s coat of arms remains on the cover.

The king’s coat of arms includes the round Tudor crown, which he chose as the royal cypher when he ascended the throne in 2022.

As part of the transition from one reign to the next, images and insignia of the King were gradually introduced – including stamps, coins and banknotes – in an effort to deplete existing stocks rather than a sudden change.

Traditionally, the King does not have a passport because it is a document issued in his own name.

The Home Office said the new passports will also have updated security features, including the latest anti-counterfeiting technology, making them “difficult to counterfeit or falsify”.

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp said the redesign marked “a new era in the history of the British passport”.

“This also demonstrates our commitment to outstanding public service, celebrating British heritage and ensuring our passports remain among the most secure and reliable in the world for years to come.”

The government has advised people to check the validity of their passports before traveling and apply to renew them if necessary.

UK passports in their modern form with photo and signature have been issued since 1915. The first security watermark was added in 1972, and machine-readable passports were introduced in 1988.