The first New Zealand Defence Force medals featuring the image of King Charles have been presented to service members.
Ten personnel received the New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 with clasp "Sinai" featuring the effigy of the King, on their return from a deployment in Egypt.
The medals were updated following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, with the changes applied to New Zealand campaign medals and long service awards issued for service undertaken since she died.
The image of King Charles is from a 2013 Ian Rank-Broadley effigy, which will be on all New Zealand Royal honours insignia for the duration of his reign.
The text around the King's portrait read: "CHARLES III. KING OF NEW ZEALAND."
“This is not a new medal, but rather a change to many existing New Zealand Royal honours following the accession of King Charles III,” NZDF deputy director, medals policy, Donald Anderson, said.
Those presented with the medal had recently returned from Operation Farad in Egypt, part of a multinational force and observers ensuring compliance with the 1979 Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel.
"NZDF staff who’d facilitated the medals transition were very proud to be involved in a significant moment in time, and to see military personnel awarded with medals bearing the effigy of the King," Anderson said.
Medals bearing the effigy of the late Queen will be retired from general issue.
They will be issued only to people who have not yet claimed their medals or as replacements for lost or damaged medals.
A similar process will also happen for New Zealand coins, but with a much slower rollout.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has said 10c coins will be the first to bear the King's effigy, and are expected to enter circulation next year.
In 2025, it said minting of the 20c, 50c, $1, and $2 coins featuring the King's image were also expected to enter circulation.
Coins and banknotes with the Queen's image remain legal tender.
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