 FACT: In the scene when Theo goes to the Ministry of Art, before he  goes through the metal detector he empties his pockets and clearly  visible is a £5 note (first issued in 2002) with the image of Queen  Elizabeth II very clear. It is extremely unlikely that the note  would not have changed between 2002 and 2027 considering the average  series of notes only lasts for about 10 years. It is even more  unlikely that Queen Elizabeth will be the monarch in 2027 as she  would be 101 years old.