Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of the House of Windsor has been Queen of the United Kingdom since 1952, when she succeeded her father, King George VI, to the throne. While Queen Elizabeth’s portrait undoubtedly appeared more often on the banknotes of Great Britain’s colonies, prior to their independence, and the use of her portrait is not as common as it once was. The Queen has been depicted on the banknotes of thirty-three issuing authorities.
Since 1960, the UK Treasury gave permission to the Bank of England to use the Queen’s portrait in a new series of notes. The first to feature her was the £1 note issued in 1960, followed by a ten shilling note in 1961.
Her Majesty has ruled for longer than any other Monarch in British history, becoming a much loved and respected figure across the globe. She has been an important figurehead for the UK and the Commonwealth during times of enormous social change.