The Duke of Cambridge will feature on a coin for the first time in celebration of his 40th birthday in June.
William’s profile, taken from an official photo from a royal visit to Jordan in 2018, will feature on a line of commemorative coins—ranging from silver proof to gold proof of varying weights, and including a two-set piece with a 1982 coin and a 2022 coin—that will be available from the Royal Mint from June.
William’s coin “pays homage to the maturity and grace of the Prince who has become a senior member of the Royal Family, a devoted husband and a loving father of three,” according to Claire Maclennan, the Director of Commemorative Coins with the Royal Mint.
The design was chosen by submission, with Thomas T. Docherty, a product designer with the Royal Mint, ultimately winning the contest. In an interview on the Royal Mint website, Docherty revealed that this is the first portrait design he’s ever submitted and explained his inspiration.
“I knew how I wanted to portray His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge from the outset,” he says. “I wanted to create a fresh, stylised and dynamic image. I didn’t want it to be this kind of tight, precise or polished model. I wanted to give the design an element of life and movement, so utilised a more sculptural approach, which would help capture His Royal Highness in this candid and authentic pose.”
Docherty says that he has worked on royal collection coins before but on separate design elements and not faces. “With the key element of this coin being a portrait of The Duke of Cambridge, the skills required to execute through to a coinage sculpt are more advanced. It was really important my design and model were accurate to ensure I captured the form and details correctly.”
Of the historical aspect of designing the first coin to feature the future king’s portrait, Docherty says: “I’d never really considered that this would mark the start of his numismatic legacy, so that’s something really special to have been involved in. It will be interesting to look back in years to come to see how the coinage has evolved along with The Duke of Cambridge’s role…”
William’s profile previously appeared on a commemorative coin in 2011 ahead of his wedding to the now Duchess of Cambridge.
