The first British passports bearing the name of King Charles III are being released this week, the Home Office has announced. The documents now use the wording "His Majesty" instead of "Her Majesty," marking the end of an era for passports issued under the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The last time "His Majesty" appeared on a British passport was during the reign of King George VI, which ended in 1952. Over five million passports have been issued this year under the late Queen's name, and existing stocks will continue to be used until they run out.
The new passports include the phrase: "His Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of His Majesty..." However, previous "Her Majesty" passports remain valid until their expiry date. Home Secretary Suella Braverman described the change as "a significant moment in UK history."
By convention, the King himself does not require a passport for travel, as it is a document issued in his own name. The updated passports are part of a gradual transition following the late Queen's death in September 2022, with stamps and coins already featuring the King's image, and banknotes set to change next year.
UK passports have evolved since their modern introduction in 1915, with security watermarks added in 1972 and machine-readable versions in 1988. In 2020, after leaving the European Union, the colour changed from burgundy to dark blue, described as a return to an "iconic blue."
