Who will pay for the change in Monarch

[takeasadsongandmakeitbetter]

I'm not a royalist but I'm certainly not hugely offended by the idea of the royal family either.

My question isn't so much about whether the royal family is a lovely thing to have or is outdated but about who will now pay for these changes?

In light of the passing of the Queen I understand (from various news websites) that all of our currency will be changed, as will flags and even postboxes etc. Who will it for this? Surely it will cost a huge amount.

At a time when people are being crippled by the cost of living increase, we have a housing crisis, people are struggling to afford the ridiculous energy bills and even put food on the table for their children. The NHS is at breaking point and covid has screwed us all too...

So AIBU to wonder who will pay? And if it is to be the taxpayers to think that is absolutely awful. Surely even those devoted subject of the royal family would at least think that the late queen would not think it correctly to literally throw money away for such a trivial thing when we are
In such a financial mess?

And if it isn't the taxpayer... why can't this money that's been sat on have been used for better reasons? Do the royal family not want to help their subjects? Is it really necessary for the to be so wealthy?

Genuinely interested in peoples opinions and not looking to offend

[DogInATent]

@Suedomin

Nothing will change overnight. As things are replaced they will change. As a child I remember coins with the old King's picture on them and also I think I have seen pennies with Queen Victoria on them! Similarly I'm sure I have seen old postboxes with the old Kings insignia.
I don't see why flags would change though.

If you read the article linked above... some flags/logos have the EIIR sigil incorporated into them.

The Met, for example, includes EIIR in their logo, uniform badges, and flags.
(does anyone know if police officers will have to swear a new oath? - the legally prescribed oath includes allegiance to the Queen but does not include "heirs and successors")

[SoupDragon]

I remember using shillings post decimalisation. Some definitely had George VI on them. Im not sure if I remember any Victoria ones or not.

[Suedomin]

Nothing will change overnight. As things are replaced they will change. As a child I remember coins with the old King's picture on them and also I think I have seen pennies with Queen Victoria on them! Similarly I'm sure I have seen old postboxes with the old Kings insignia.
I don't see why flags would change though.

[Whammyyammy]

The post box in our village still has GR on it!
If 70 years wasn't long enough to change it for the queen, then I doubt will be seeing a CR one...

[DogInATent]

@EmmaH2022

Exactly. Mad.

I thought the same. But then I remembered just how long her reign has been, how few people have even thought about the minutia of royal succession, etc. How instant everything is now compared to even twenty years ago, let alone seventy. Give them a bit of leeway, and make sure you're explanations are both accurate and comprehensible.

[Clovacloud]

I was still using George IV shillings (they looked like old 10ps) as sweet money in the early 80s. The change over can take ages.

[DogInATent]

Decimal currency came into use in 1971.
Shillings and florins remained legal tender (as 5p and 10p respectively) until 1992.

Surely selling broadcasting rights across the world will contribute to most of the costs?
Will it cover the cost of the bank holiday, local authority costs outside London, national policing costs, etc?

[EmmaH2022]

@BonnesVacances

I don't understand this thought process. Who genuinely thinks we're now going to collect up all the currency and reissue it with Charles's head on it? And reissue passports and replace post boxes? Christ on a bike!

Exactly. Mad.

[Havanananana]

It's clear a lot of people under-40 can't remember having coins from more than one monarch in circulation at the same time - until the 5p and 10p were reduced in dimension it was very common to have a George VI shilling or florin in your change and they were normal, legal tender.

Decimal currency came into use in 1971.

Before then, it was common to have £sd coins in your purse or piggy bank with different monarchs on them - Victoria, Edward, George V & VI and Elizabeth. The basic design of the penny, halfpenny and shilling coins hadn't changed since Victoria and all were in circulation.

[SoupDragon]

The banknotes might take longer to change over than before given they are now more robust plastic rather than paper.

[MarshaMelrose]

If you want a cost that's going to divide national opinion, that's going to be next year with the coronation.

Surely selling broadcasting rights across the world will contribute to most of the costs?

[takeasadsongandmakeitbetter]

Doginatent
Thanks! That's really helpful, gave away my age I guess!

[DogInATent]

@takeasadsongandmakeitbetter

Thanks is for the genuine replies and sorry for those who were irritated by my question.

One article was saying the currency would take two years to change so I was wondering why on earth the rush. Makes sense that it will all be phased and interesting about the coronation and treasury etc.

Bank notes are constantly being removed from circulation and replaced. But it could take a couple of years to develop and approve all the denominations. It's not just copy-and-paste a new head onto the old note. The head is part of the security features.

It's clear a lot of people under-40 can't remember having coins from more than one monarch in circulation at the same time - until the 5p and 10p were reduced in dimension it was very common to have a George VI shilling or florin in your change and they were normal, legal tender.

Observant people will notice that letterboxes bearing VR and GR are still in use. They're not automatically replaced when the King/Queen dies. Again, it will take some time to design and approve a new CR sigil for any future new postboxes.

It's all very new, and the country is divided into those (mostly older) that know how this sort of thing works, and those (mostly) younger that expect everything needs to change overnight.

If you want a cost that's going to divide national opinion, that's going to be next year with the coronation.

[RichardMarxisinnocent]

Coins with the head of George VI were in circulation for a decade or more after the end of his reign, and there are still Victorian postboxes dotted round the place

They were around for much longer than a decade, I used shilling coins with George VI's head on them in the 80s.

[Linnet]

There is a post box in my city which has GR on it.

Things will change over gradually.

[Cookerhood]

The only reason the old coins with the King on them disappeared in the end was because of decimalisation. It will probably be William's turn before we even notice the coins change.

[ApolloandDaphne]

@thedevilinablackdress

Yes, I really think the country could do without the expense of a massive state funeral and coronation right now.

There was never any way the queen would get an austerity funeral.

[OnTheBoardwalk]

Thank the national anthem will be the first to change. Don’t think it will cost that much

Everything else surely when it needs replacing?

[Seemslikeaniceday]

@Whataretheodds

There is a massive replacement of official stationery which will need to be paid for as it has to be done quickly (apparently unlike bank notes and post boxes) and the coronation won't be cheap.

Not sure whether provision has been made from tax receipts recently given the Queen's age.

Surely these days you just change the digital template, most government correspondence is printed on plain paper.

[thedevilinablackdress]

Yes, I really think the country could do without the expense of a massive state funeral and coronation right now.

[ElnoraComstock]

Of course they won't change the post boxes! Have you never noticed the many hundreds of post boxes with 'GR' and even 'VR' on the front???

[LoopyGremlin]

True @SoupDragon I just noticed today that my local postbox is still GR so is over 70 years old and hasn’t been replaced!

[listsandbudgets]

It won't be overnight. You're not going to go to the post office next week and exchange all your Queen Elizabeth II ten pound notes for King Charles III ones. It will be phased in - the Royal Mint and Royal Mail will stop printing one type and move to the next.

I'm old enough to remember using pre decimal coinage which remained in circulation for years - the 1 and 2 shilllings became 5 and 10p and were only eventually withdrawn in 1990

[mswales]

What's actually going to be hugely expensive is the succession/coronation with all its endless archaic rituals, all the security and travel required, etc etc. It's going to cost hundreds of millions of pounds and yes of course the taxpayer is going to pay, who else?

[takeasadsongandmakeitbetter]

amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/08/queen-death-cash-stamps-flags

Link to article with ref to flags