The Home Office has revealed that all new British passports will bear King Charles’s coat of arms starting December 2025. This marks the first full redesign in five years, following the switch from burgundy to navy blue after Brexit.
Goodbye Queen Elizabeth’s Arms, Hello King Charles
Since 2023, UK passports have carried the king’s name, but Queen Elizabeth II’s coat of arms still graced the cover. That changes from December 2025, when the new passports will proudly showcase King Charles’s rounded Tudor crown – his chosen royal cypher.
Existing passports with the late Queen’s coat of arms remain valid until they expire, the government confirmed.
Striking UK Landscapes & Next-Gen Security Inside
The redesign isn’t just skin-deep. Inside pages will feature stunning images from iconic UK landscapes like Ben Nevis, the Lake District, Three Cliffs Bay, and the Giant’s Causeway.
But it’s more than just pretty pictures. The Home Office boasts that the new passports will be “the most secure passport ever produced.” Advanced anti-forgery tech – including new holographic and translucent features – will make these documents a nightmare for counterfeiters.
“These new features will make passports easier to verify and even harder to forge or tamper with,” officials explained.
Official Praise for Historic Upgrade
Migration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp said: “The introduction of His Majesty’s arms, iconic landscapes, and enhanced security features marks a new era in the history of the British passport.
“It also demonstrates our commitment to outstanding public service – celebrating British heritage while ensuring our passports remain among the most secure and trusted in the world for years to come.”
UK passports in their modern form—with photo and signature—have been around since 1915. Security innovations include the first watermark in 1972 and machine-readable passports introduced in 1988.
