diff --git a/docs/src/whatsnew/dev.rst b/docs/src/whatsnew/3.2.rst
similarity index 98%
rename from docs/src/whatsnew/dev.rst
rename to docs/src/whatsnew/3.2.rst
index e2d4c2bc0b..c78e1283d6 100644
--- a/docs/src/whatsnew/dev.rst
+++ b/docs/src/whatsnew/3.2.rst
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 .. include:: ../common_links.inc
 
-|iris_version| |build_date| [unreleased]
-****************************************
+v3.2 (31 Jan 2022) [unreleased]
+*******************************
 
 This document explains the changes made to Iris for this release
 (:doc:`View all changes <index>`.)
 
 
-.. dropdown:: :opticon:`report` |iris_version| Release Highlights
+.. dropdown:: :opticon:`report` v3.2.0 Release Highlights
    :container: + shadow
    :title: text-primary text-center font-weight-bold
    :body: bg-light
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ This document explains the changes made to Iris for this release
 
    * We've added experimental support for
      :ref:`Meshes <ugrid>`, which can now be loaded and
-     attached to a cube. Mesh support is based on the based on `CF-UGRID`_
-     model.
+     attached to a cube. Mesh support is based on the `CF-UGRID`_ model.
    * We've also dropped support for ``Python 3.7``.
 
    And finally, get in touch with us on :issue:`GitHub<new/choose>` if you have
diff --git a/docs/src/whatsnew/dev.rst.template b/docs/src/whatsnew/dev.rst.template
deleted file mode 100644
index 79c578ca65..0000000000
--- a/docs/src/whatsnew/dev.rst.template
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,112 +0,0 @@
-.. include:: ../common_links.inc
-
-|iris_version| |build_date| [unreleased]
-****************************************
-
-This document explains the changes made to Iris for this release
-(:doc:`View all changes <index>`.)
-
-
-.. dropdown:: :opticon:`report` |iris_version| Release Highlights
-   :container: + shadow
-   :title: text-primary text-center font-weight-bold
-   :body: bg-light
-   :animate: fade-in
-   :open:
-
-   The highlights for this major/minor release of Iris include:
-
-   * N/A
-
-   And finally, get in touch with us on :issue:`GitHub<new/choose>` if you have
-   any issues or feature requests for improving Iris. Enjoy!
-
-
-NOTE: section below is a template for bugfix patches
-====================================================
-    (Please remove this section when creating an initial 'latest.rst')
-
-v3.X.X (DD MMM YYYY)
-====================
-
-.. dropdown:: :opticon:`alert` v3.X.X Patches
-   :container: + shadow
-   :title: text-primary text-center font-weight-bold
-   :body: bg-light
-   :animate: fade-in
-
-   The patches in this release of Iris include:
-
-   #. N/A
-
-NOTE: section above is a template for bugfix patches
-====================================================
-    (Please remove this section when creating an initial 'latest.rst')
-    
-
-
-📢 Announcements
-================
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-✨ Features
-===========
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-🐛 Bugs Fixed
-=============
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-💣 Incompatible Changes
-=======================
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-🚀 Performance Enhancements
-===========================
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-🔥 Deprecations
-===============
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-🔗 Dependencies
-===============
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-📚 Documentation
-================
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-💼 Internal
-===========
-
-#. N/A
-
-
-.. comment
-    Whatsnew author names (@github name) in alphabetical order. Note that,
-    core dev names are automatically included by the common_links.inc:
-
-
-
-
-.. comment
-    Whatsnew resources in alphabetical order:
-
-
diff --git a/docs/src/whatsnew/index.rst b/docs/src/whatsnew/index.rst
index 51f03e8d8f..f425e649b9 100644
--- a/docs/src/whatsnew/index.rst
+++ b/docs/src/whatsnew/index.rst
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Iris versions.
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 1
 
-   dev.rst
+   3.2.rst
    3.1.rst
    3.0.rst
    2.4.rst
diff --git a/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
index 56aebe92dd..2bdbea5d85 120000
--- a/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
+++ b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
@@ -1 +1 @@
-dev.rst
\ No newline at end of file
+3.2.rst
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/iris/__init__.py b/lib/iris/__init__.py
index 26f03c0566..aca4e77e88 100644
--- a/lib/iris/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/iris/__init__.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def callback(cube, field, filename):
 
 
 # Iris revision.
-__version__ = "3.2.dev0"
+__version__ = "3.2.0rc0"
 
 # Restrict the names imported when using "from iris import *"
 __all__ = [