diff --git a/docs/src/whatsnew/index.rst b/docs/src/whatsnew/index.rst
index d2a15be1f70..c556f827616 100644
--- a/docs/src/whatsnew/index.rst
+++ b/docs/src/whatsnew/index.rst
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@
 What's New in Iris
 ------------------
 
-.. include:: 3.7.rst
+.. include:: latest.rst
 
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 1
    :hidden:
 
+   latest.rst
    3.7.rst
    3.6.rst
    3.5.rst
diff --git a/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..72b74bdf42a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+.. 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:: |iris_version| Release Highlights
+   :color: primary
+   :icon: info
+   :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!
+
+
+📢 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/latest.rst.template b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst.template
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..966a91e9762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst.template
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+.. 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:: |iris_version| Release Highlights
+   :color: primary
+   :icon: info
+   :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'
+
+|iris_version| |build_date|
+===========================
+
+.. dropdown:: |iris_version| Patches
+   :color: primary
+   :icon: alert
+   :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: