Queen Elizabeth II left us forever and King Charles III took the British throne in 2022. The Royal Mint commemorates both figures by issuance of a silver coin.

Elizabeth II had little time to prepare to be Queen. At the time of her coronation, the mother of two young children was just 26 years old. She then spent a full seven decades on the throne, becoming the longest living and longest reigning British monarch of all time. Elizabeth's son Charles III, by contrast, took a record time to prepare to take office - practically half a century. He became king at the age of 73, as a five-time grandfather and the oldest heir to the throne in the history of the British monarchy. Although their destinies could not have been more different, the new monarch emphasised that he wanted to follow the footsteps of his beloved mother, who had dedicated her life to selfless service to her country. Ensuring the continuity of an establishment that has existed for a thousand years will be no easy task, but King Charles will be helped by greater openness and also greater sensitivity...

The reverse side of the commemorative coin, which is dedicated to Elizabeth II, presents two portraits of the Queen, separated by 70 years on the throne. The composition of the reverse side, from the studio of artist John Bergdahl, is supplemented with the Queen's monogram, the Latin inscription ELIZABETH REGINA (Queen Elizabeth) and the life years 1926-2022. The obverse side of the coin is dedicated for the first time in history to King Charles III. His official portrait, which is the work of sculptor Martin Jennings, is surrounded by the text CHARLES III D G REX F D (Charles III, King by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith), the nominal value of 5 POUNDS (GBP) and the year of issue 2022.

The form of the coin was influenced by a tradition dating back to the 17th century. This tradition states that the profiles of the monarchs alternate - as the Queen on the coins looks to the right, her son looks to the left.