Just hours after her passing, people are campaigning for Steve Irwin to replace Queen Elizabeth on Australian notes.
Queen Elizabeth’s passing was announced in a statement today by the Royal Family’s official accounts. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow,” a statement said.
Upon her death, Queen Elizabeth II is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the second-longest reigning sovereign monarch in the world.
In Australia, several tributes will be paid. Flags will be flown at half-mast for the next 10 days, while church bells will ring across the country. PM Albanese is also expected to wear a special black tie to mark the death.
Queen Elizabeth has been featured on the Australian $5 note since 2016, however, it’s widely speculated that King Charles will replace her image. But, while nothing has yet been confirmed, Aussies are suggesting that Steve Irwin replaces her instead.
“The reigning monarch has traditionally appeared on the lowest denomination of Australian banknote,” the RBA said.
One social media tweeted: “Can we get a petition to get Steve Irwin’s face on money in place of the queen going? It’s what we all want.”
Some other social media users have already started brainstorming other ideas for the new face of the note.”Who we gonna put on all our money? Because I can’t see that Charles on there,” they wrote.
Another posted; ‘Steve Irwin deserves our highest form of currency.”
A third social media suggested that if the late Steve Irwin were featured on a bill it would become overwhelming. “The $5 note will explode in value if we put him on that note,” they wrote.
And, it’s not just the $5 note that is likely to be changed – Queen Elizabeth also features on the fifty-cent coin, twenty-cent coin and the one-dollar coin.
Meanwhile, other prominent Australian names were put forward to replace Queen Elizabeth; Hamish Blake and Daryl Sommers.
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