香港在過渡到特區時期有很多制度和生活方式的改變。政治現實上香港要退出英聯邦，無法再參加英聯邦運動會，亦需要解散義勇軍，所有有皇家稱號的公私營機構亦改名。

During the run-up to the handover, there were many changes in the way of life. Politically, HK had to withdraw from the Commonwealth and could no longer participate in The Commonwealth Games. It also had to disband its auxiliary militia force, and all public and private institutions with royal titles had to drop the titles.

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1983 聯邦日首日封  Commonwealth Day First Day Cover

1994 最後一次參與英聯邦運動會 The last time participating in the Commonwealth Games

1995 義勇軍─「冠絕東方」Hong Kong Volunteers, "Nulli Secundus in Oriente" (Second to None in the Orient)

2020 義勇軍織章復刻版 The Hong Kong Volunteers Embroidered Badge. Reproduction.

1993 過渡期紙幣和硬幣 Coinage and Banknotes During the Transition

由於聯合聲明的規定，金融管理局於1993年成立後推出新的硬幣系列，女王頭由洋紫荊取代，而鈔票中殖民地元素早在1980年代就開始消失，政府在1994年開始發行十元硬幣取代俗稱（青蟹）的十元鈔票。但因為經濟轉差，市民在農曆年對紙幣續有需求，港府決定在2002年自行發行十元紙幣， 因為設計花巧，被稱為花蟹，充滿科幻感的設計深受國際收藏家歡迎。

In pursuit of the Joint Declaration, Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued a series of new coins before the handover. The image of bauhinia replaced the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Colonial features had started disappearing from banknote designs in the 1980s. HKMA also issued a ten-dollar coin to replace the banknote, commonly called the "green crab”. However, due to recession, there was still a demand for ten-dollar banknotes during the Lunar New Year (used in red packets giving out to others for luck) , so HKMA issued a ten-dollar banknote in 2002. It was designed with intricate patterns and was nicknamed the "flower crab," its sci-fi design has since become popular among international collectors.

 

1996 港隊首奪奧運金牌 Hong Kong Won Her First Olympic Gold Medal

面對多年被外國選手看不起，李麗珊奪金後說出名言：「香港運動員唔係垃圾 ！」

Faced with being looked down upon by foreign athletes for many years, Lee Lai-shan famously proclaimed after winning the gold medal: "Hong Kong athletes are not rubbish!"

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1994 皇家香港警察 ─「亞洲最精良的部隊」 “Asia's Finest”, the Royal Hong Kong Police Force 

1997 伊利沙伯二世通用郵票結日封  Queen Elizabeth II Definitive Stamps Last Day Cover 

1997 過渡期通用郵票 Transition Period Definitive Stamps 

女王頭的硬幣在1997年後可以繼續流通，但郵票就不可以，所以到1997年香港郵政就發行一套沒有標示女王頭像的通用郵票，在主權移交前後使用。

Unlike HKD coins, stamps with the Queen's portrait couldn't be used after 1997. Therefore, right before the handover, HK Post issued a set of definitive stamps without the Queen's portrait to be used during and after 1997.