Prince William Portrait Features on Special £5 Coin to Mark 40th Birthday

Prince William has been issued a special £5 coin to commemorate his upcoming 40th birthday on 21st June that was struck by the Royal Mint.The coin features an engraving of Prince William which appears to be a copy of an official portrait taken at the Queen's birthday party in June 2018. This took place at the UK Ambassador's residence in Amman, Jordan.The design includes the number 40 to mark his 40th birthday and incorporates the Duke of Cambridge's royal cypher - the letter W. An inscription on the edge reads: "HRH The Duke of Cambridge."

An image of the Queen, designed by Jody Clark, will be struck on the other side of the coin.It is the first time Prince William will appear alone on an official coin struck by the Royal Mint. The second in line to the throne previously appeared on an official coin with the Duchess of Cambridge to celebrate their wedding in 2011.There will be an additional limited edition souvenir two-coin set that will be released to the public. It will feature a 0.25oz gold celebration coin and a 1982 sovereign coin – the year the duke was born.

The collection will also include a limited edition coin made of 5oz of fine gold quality to mark the special occasion, with laser technology creating a "high relief finish", giving William's portrait an enhanced 3D appearance.Designer and engraver Thomas T Docherty was the creator behind the special £5 coin. Docherty said: "The design strikes a balance between the fresh energy of His Royal Highness being a young dad with the ceremonial nature of his royal position. A three-quarter angle of the portrait creates a more dynamic portrait rather than a traditional side-on profile" I used certain clay sculpting techniques on a digital platform to achieve the style needed for the design, to translate effectively from two to three dimensions."During a recent trip to the Caribbean with the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke suggested he may never succeed the Queen or Prince Charles as head of the Commonwealth.