Overview
- The Bank has moved from human portraits to a nature theme after a public consultation that drew about 44,000 responses and ranked wildlife highest among suggested themes.
- Internal market research commissioned in October 2025 by Savanta and disclosed in early June found some focus‑group participants called historical figures 'elitist' or 'divisive', advice that has intensified public and political scrutiny.
- The Bank published a wildlife shortlist compiled with expert advisers that includes animals such as dolphin, fox, owl, bumblebee, butterfly and shark and is running a public vote on which species should appear on the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.
- Critics from across politics and opinion pages have condemned the move as erasing national heroes while the Bank says the primary motive is security because facial portraits are easier for modern counterfeiters to copy.
- Any new notes will take several years to design, test and print to meet accessibility and anti‑counterfeiting standards, the monarch will remain on the obverse, and the governor will make the final selection by the end of 2026.