BRITISH passports will be issued in the name of “His Majesty” for the first time in 70 years from this week.

The change follows the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and accession of King Charles III to the throne.

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Home Secretary Suella Braverman hailed the change as a “significant moment in UK history”.

She 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.”

The Home Secretary added: “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 all the way back to Henry V in 1414.  It

But it wasn’t until 1915 that the first modern-style passports featuring a headshot and signature were issued.

So far this year the passport office has delivered over 5 million passports.

Following complaints of ridiculously long waiting times last year, the Home Office says in 2023  99% of documents were issued within the standard UK service of ten weeks.