Canada has unveiled a new $20 banknote featuring King Charles III, making him the first new monarch to appear on a Canadian banknote in more than 70 years following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
The note was unveiled at a Bank of Canada event on Thursday, with central bank governor Tiff Macklem describing it as a “very special day”.
One of the most distinctive features of the new banknote is its vertical design. The reverse features the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France, commemorating Canada’s role in World War I.
The banknote also includes a floral and leafy tapestry inspired by Charles’ lifelong commitment to environmental causes, according to the Bank of Canada.
Some elements of the design were selected following consultations with an Indigenous advisory council.
Canada is the first Commonwealth country outside Britain to feature King Charles on its banknotes since he became monarch.
Other Commonwealth countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have already featured Charles on their coins. Australia, however, has decided not to put the King on its banknotes and instead plans to develop a new $5 note highlighting the culture and history of Indigenous Australians.
The new Canadian $20 note is only the country’s second vertically oriented banknote. The first was the $10 note featuring Black civil rights advocate Viola Desmond, whose design was named the world’s best banknote by the International Bank Note Society in 2018.
Liberal MP and Secretary of State for the Canada Revenue Agency Wayne Long said the symbols featured on the new note “serve as a powerful reminder of who we are as a nation and what we value”.
The new $20 banknote is expected to enter circulation early next year, Macklem said.
The introduction comes amid ongoing debate in Canada over its constitutional ties to the British monarchy. Polling has indicated that many Canadians support ending the country’s formal links to the monarchy, particularly in Quebec.
However, support for the monarchy has seen a modest increase amid growing tensions between Canada and the United States, including the ongoing US-Canada trade dispute and President Donald Trump’s repeated comments about making Canada the “51st state”.
Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Charles to open Canada’s Parliament in May, saying the royal visit “clearly underscores the sovereignty of our country”.
Charles remains Canada’s head of state and is represented in the country by Governor General Louise Arbour.
