- New British passports will now bear
the title ‘His Majesty for the first time since 1952
- HM Passport Office has issued over
5 million passports so far in 2023
- Over 99% of passports have been
issued within the standard UK service of ten weeks, the vast
majority well within this timeline
For the first time in 70 years, British passports bearing the
title of ‘His Majesty’ will start being issued this week in the
name of His Majesty King Charles III, the Home Secretary has
today (18 July) announced.
The update to the salutation comes as His Majesty’s Passport
Office (HM Passport Office) continues to deliver exceptional
service to British citizens as the busy summer period
approaches.
In the first six months of 2023, over 5 million passports have
been processed with more than 99% issued within the standard UK
service of ten weeks, the vast majority well within this
timeline, with over 90% delivered within 3 weeks. This marks a
significant improvement in HM Passport Office’s performance since
2022, during which time 95.4% of passports were issued within
this ten-week timeframe.
This can be attributed to a series of strategic measures
implemented to overcome the challenges faced in early 2022,
including process improvements, significant advancements in
digital systems, enhanced access to flexible resources, and the
introduction of a second supplier of customer contact services.
These initiatives have collectively contributed to the Office's
ability to consistently meet high performance standards and
deliver exemplary customer service.
Home Secretary
said:
“For 70 years, Her Majesty has appeared on British passports and
many of us will not remember a time when she did not feature.
Today marks a significant moment in UK history, as the first
British passports since 1952 start featuring the title of His
Majesty, the King.
“As HM Passport Office enters a new era in its history, it is
delivering an exceptional service and I am extremely grateful for
their outstanding accomplishments and the unwavering dedication
of the whole team to meet the needs of the British public. While
vast improvements have been made, I continue to urge the public
to make sure they apply for passports in good time.”
The earliest recorded British passport can be traced back to the
reign of Henry V in 1414 and documents were known as safe
conducts. It was not until 1915 that the first modern-style
British passports, including a photograph and signature were
first issued.
The first security feature, a special watermark, was introduced
in passports in 1972. Since then, a large number of security
features have been incorporated into British passports, from
watermarks, holograms, elaborately printed patterns, to the
polycarbonate page; meaning British nationals can have confidence
that there is only one issue of their unique document.
The first burgundy-coloured machine-readable passports were
issued in 1988 and over 30 years later, in 2020, the distinctive
blue cover was re-introduced following the departure of the UK
from the EU.
ENDS
Notes to editors
-
Photos to follow.
- Passports issued in the name of His Majesty the King will be
introduced in a phased approach, until all remaining stock of
passports issued in the name of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
are exhausted.
- British passports issued in the name of Her Majesty the
Queen remain valid travel documents.
