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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - A life in stamps

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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

We join with people across the United Kingdom and around the world in mourning the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

A life in stamps

From her accession to the throne on 6 February 1952, Queen Elizabeth II was an ever-present feature of stamps in Britain.

Every stamp created during her reign featured an image of Queen Elizabeth II, usually in the forms of the Wilding portrait, the Machin definitive or the Gillick silhouette.

Her Majesty has also featured on numerous stamps created to mark Royal events and anniversaries such as birthdays, jubilees and weddings.

This gallery charts her life in stamps issued throughout her long reign.

1950s:

New Definitive and the Coronation

With the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952, thoughts immediately turned to new definitive stamps and a possible Coronation stamp. The first consideration was the portrait: The Queen preferred a three-quarter view. Photographs were taken by the Dorothy Wilding Studio and used on the first definitives of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.

For her coronation in 1953, drawn portraits were produced by the artist Edmund Dulac. His design featured a full-face portrait in Coronation robes. Dulac died before his design was issued on 3 June 1953, the day following the Coronation.

1950s and 60s:

Events across the UK

Wilding’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was present on stamps that commemorated national events and anniversaries throughout the 1950s and 1960s, some of which can be seen here.

In 1958 a commemorative stamp issue featuring the Welsh Dragon marked the British Empire & Commonwealth Games, held in Cardiff that year.

In 1964, the opening of the Forth Road Bridge in Scotland received a Special Stamp issue, 

while the shipbuilding yards of Belfast were featured in a stamp issue marking the 20th International Geographical Congress.

1960s:

The iconic Machin sculpture and the Gillick silhouette

Arnold Machin was a Stoke-on-Trent born artist, sculptor, coin and stamp designer. In 1966, the Queen approved Machin's design of her to be used on what came to be known as the ‘Machin series’ of British definitive postage stamps. It is thought that his design is the most reproduced work of art in history with more than 220 billion copies produced.

The ‘Landscapes’ series were the first ‘thematic’ stamps released (Special Stamps that are not based on an anniversary or event). This set was the first to break from the Wilding portrait of the Queen, using a silhouette of the head created for coinage by Mary Gillick.

During the 1960s, the then Postmaster General Tony Benn controversially considered removing the Queen’s Head from stamps and replacing it with ‘UK Postage’. Of course, this did not happen, and the silhouette has featured on almost 2,700 Special Stamp designs.

1970s:

The Royal Silver Wedding

The stamps to mark the Silver Wedding anniversary featured a design based on photography by Norman Parkinson.

Silver Jubilee of the Accession

Designed by Richard Guyatt, each value in the four-stamp set featured a sketch of the Arnold Machin head of The Queen, flanked by the letters, 'E' and 'R'.

25th Anniversary of Coronation

In 1978, Designer Jeffrey Matthews created four stamps to mark the anniversary of the Coronation, featuring the Gold State Coach, St Edward’s Crown, Sovereign’s Orb and the Imperial State Crown.

1980s:

60th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II

1986 saw celebrations for the Queen’s 60th birthday, and a set of stamps were issued in commemoration that featured images of Her Majesty throughout her life, from childhood to reigning monarch.

Bicentenary of Australian settlement

The Queen also featured on a set of stamps marking the bicentenary of Australian settlement in 1988. The Queen is shown alongside British and Australian parliament buildings. The other stamps in the set featured cricketer W.G. Grace, the Sydney Opera House, William Shakespeare and John Lennon.

1990s:

40th Anniversary of Accession

Striking designs featuring photography from Her Majesty’s life marked the 40th anniversary of the Accession, including Her Majesty in Coronation robes, with baby Prince Andrew, and at Trooping the Colour.

Royal Golden Wedding

Two different designs graced the set to mark the Golden Wedding; one from the wedding day and the other a double portrait by Lord Snowdon.

2000s:

Golden Jubilee

Five portraits of Her Majesty by, among others, Dorothy Wildling, Cecil Beaton and Lord Snowdon graced the issue to mark the 50th anniversary of the Accession.

50th Anniversary of the Coronation

Ten stamps marked the Golden Jubilee of the Coronation – five colour photographs of the occasion itself, and five black and white images of how the public celebrated in 1953.

Trooping the Colour

Six stamps marked the ceremony of Trooping the Colour, which included three photographs of Her Majesty attending, including her riding the horse Burmese in 1972.

80th Birthday

Eight black and white images showed Her Majesty smiling radiantly through the years – including one of her as a young child with her mother, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York.

2010s:

Britain Alone

The 2010 ‘Britain Alone’ stamp issue paid tribute to the wartime generation, who 70 years before resolved to ’dare and endure’ on the Home Front, when Britain and the Commonwealth stood alone against the Axis Powers.

The stamps marked the tireless work of the British people who ‘did their bit’ for the war effort as the country faced its darkest days. One of the stamps (main image) featured the Royal Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret recording a national broadcast.

Diamond Jubilee

Royal Mail celebrated the culmination of Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee festivities with eight stamps featuring a selection of some of the most memorable events of her historic 60 year reign. The pictorial Diamond Jubilee Special Stamps were issued on 31 May and featured images of The Queen performing her official duties both at home in the UK and on the world stage.

The eight stamps gave a fascinating insight into the Queen’s hugely diverse duties; from delivering the first televised Christmas broadcast in 1957, to inspecting the 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh, as Commander-in-Chief of the UK’s Armed Forces, half a century later in 2007.

60th Anniversary of The Coronation

To mark the 60th anniversary of the Coronation, this special issue featured a collection of some of the finest ever painted portraits of the Queen, and included a brand-new portrait, the first Royal Mail had commissioned (top left). The painting was the result of three specially convened sittings with the Queen for the artist, Nicky Philipps - that took place in the Chinese Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace in the late Autumn of 2012. In the portrait, The Queen is dressed in her Order of the Garter robes.

The painting commissioned by Royal Mail was the result of three especially convened sittings with the Queen for the artist, Nicky Philipps - that took place in the Chinese Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace in the late autumn of 2012. The Queen is dressed in her Order of the Garter robes and surrounded by several of her beloved dogs.

90th Birthday

2016 saw national celebrations of Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday.

Already the longest reigning UK monarch, she was also the oldest reigning monarch in the world.

Royal Mail had never issued a stamp featuring The Queen with her father, and this was remedied with the first stamp in this set. An image of her with her children, the young Prince Charles and Princess Anne conveyed her family life, while a stamp with the Duke of Edinburgh marked their enduring partnership.

Three other stamps marked The Queen’s official duties: as Head of State for the opening of Parliament; as Head of the Commonwealth where she was depicted with Nelson Mandela; and on a state visit to New Zealand, to represent more than 100 state visits made worldwide by Her Majesty during her reign.

Platinum Wedding Anniversary

In 2017, Royal Mail released of a set of stamps to commemorate the 70th Wedding Anniversary of HM The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.

The six-stamp set featured paired images from their engagement period, wedding and honeymoon.  

2020s:

Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

In February 2022, Royal Mail issued a set of eight stamps, using photographs of Her Majesty The Queen, to mark the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne on 6 February 1952.

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2022

20-01 - The Rolling Stones

01-02 - Barcoded NVI Definitives

04-02 - Her Majesty the Queens Platinum Jubilee

18-02 - The Stamp Designs of David Gentleman

19-02 - London 2022 International Stamp Exhibition

08-03 - FA Football Cup, 150th Anniversary

23-03 - Heroes of the Covid Pandemic

04-04 - Low & High Value Definitive

04-04 - International Tariff Definitive

07-04 - Migratory Birds of the UK

05-05 - Unsung Heroes: Women of World War II

09-06 - Cats

01-07 - LGBT Pride Marches in the UK, 50th Anniversary

28-07 - Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

11-08 - Barcoded Country Definitives

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Barcoded Country Definitives 2022

EN066 - 2nd, Three Lions

EN067 - 1st, Crowned Lion with Shield of St George

EN068 - £1.85, Oak Tree

NI170 - 2nd, Giants Causeway

NI171 - 1st, Patchwork Fields

NI172 - £1.85, Linen Slip Case

S172 - 2nd, Saltire

S173 - 1st, Lion of Scotland

S174- £1.85, Thistle

W162 - 2nd, Leek

W163 - 1st, Dragon

W164- £1.85, Daffodil

11/08/2022

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Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

SG4693 - Aquatics - Diving

SG4694 - Boxing

SG4695 - Para Table Tennis

SG4696 - Para Powerlifting

SG4697 - Gymnastics - Artistic

SG4698 - Cycling - Mountain Bike

SG4699 - Athletics

SG4700 - Wheelchair Basketball 3 x 3

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Stamps by Year

2022  2021  2020  2019  2018  2017  2016  2015  2014  2013  2012  2011  2010  2009  2008  2007  2006  2005  2004  2003  2002  2001  2000  1999  1998  1997  1996  1995  1994  1993  1992  1991  1990  1989  1988  1987  1986  1985  1984  1983  1982  1981  1980  1979  1978  1977  1976  1975  1974  1973  1972  1971  1970  1969  1968  1967  1966  1965  1964  1963  1962  1961  1960  1959  1958  1957  1955  1953  1952 

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LGBT Pride Marches in the UK, 50th Anniversary

SG4685 - Kiss

SG4686 - Love

SG4687 - Parade

SG4688 - Parade

SG4689 - Lesbians Unite!

SG4690 - Glad to Be Gay!

SG4691 - Gay Liberation

SG4692 - Love Always Win

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LGBT Pride Marches in the UK, 50th Anniversary

LS142 - Pride

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Cats

SG4677 - Siamese Grooming

SG4678 - Tabby Stalking

SG4679 - Ginger Cat Playing

SG4680 - British Shorthair Sleeping

SG4681 - Maine Coon Staring

SG4682 - Black-and-White Cat On Alert

SG4683 - Bengal Being Curious

SG4684 - Tabby-and-White Stretching

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Cats

LS141 - Cats

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Unsung Heroes: Women of World War II

SG4671MS - Spitfire Women : Ferry Pilots of Air Transport Auxiliary

SG4672 - 1st, Pilots Meet In Their Ferry Pool Briefing Room

SG4673 - 1st, Pilot Climbing Into The Cockpit Of A Supermarine Spitfire

SG4674 - £1.85, Pilot Completing Her Post-Flight Paperwork In A Lockheed Hudson

SG4675- £1.85, Pilots Of The No. 5 Ferry Pool Disembarking From An Avro Anson

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Unsung Heroes: Women of World War II

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Unsung Heroes: Women of World War II

SG4661 - 1st, Protecting Civilians

SG4662 - 1st, Nursing on the Front Line

SG4663 - 1st, Repairing Army Vehicles

SG4664 - 1st, Arming The Fleet

SG4665 - 1st, Powering The War Effort

SG4666 - 1st, Deciphering Enemy Messages

SG4667 - 1st, Supplying Military Production

SG4668 - 1st, Lighting The Way To Victory

SG4669 - 1st, Maintaining RAF Aircraft

SG4670 - 1st, Meeting Britains Demand

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Unsung Heroes: Women of World War II

DY43 - Unsung Heroes: Women of World War II

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Migratory Birds of the UK

SG4651 - 1st, Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus)

SG4652 - 1st, Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)

SG4653 - 1st, Swift (Apus apus)

SG4654 - 1st, Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)

SG4655 - 1st, Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)

SG4656 - 1st, Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)

SG4657 - 1st, Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

SG4658 - 1st, Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

SG4659 - 1st, Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

SG4660 - 1st, Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus)

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Migratory Birds of the UK

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International Tariff Definitive

V4600 - £1.85, Brown

V4610 - £2.55, Sapphire

V4620 - £3.25, Purple

V4630 - £4.20, Light Green