Her Majesty The Queen has been immortalised in a new permanent first class letter mail stamp issued by Canada Post in her honour. A permanent – or “P” – stamp, is one which can be bought at the current postage price and will be accepted at anytime that they are used in the future.
The stamp measures 20.25 mm x 23.55 mm, and was designed by Steven Slipp, a designer from Wolfville, Nova Scotia. It features a black-and-white picture of Queen Elizabeth II that was taken by the British photographer David Bailey. The photograph was taken at Buckingham Palace in 2014, to mark The Queen’s 88th birthday, and shows her Majesty smiling widely, prompting Mr Bailey to describe her as having “very kind eyes” and a “mischievous glint”.
Canada has depicted its Monarch’s on stamps since 1851, and in the past six decades, Her Majesty has featured on over 60 stamps issued by Canada Post. The Queen Elizabeth II domestic rate stamp is one of the country’s definitive stamps, and eight versions of the same (including this one) have been issued since 2003. Six of them were permanent stamps.
A spokesperson for Canada Post has been quoted as saying that a stamp bearing the image of The Queen “outsells other stamps, ten to one, whether it’s a commemorative edition or definitive one.”
In 2015, Canada Post issued a stamp to commemorate the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who surpassed Queen Victoria’s record to become the longest reigning Monarch in Canada’s history. “Our stamps not only depict past history, often they celebrate history in the making,” Deepak Chopra, President and CEO, Canada Post, said about the historic occasion. “This is just such an event – and we are proud to have the opportunity to honour Her Majesty as well as her remarkable record of service to Canada and all Canadians.”
A set of 10 stamps, as well as an official first day cover, can be purchased on the Canada Post website.
Australia – are you reading and listening?
It would be nice to have our queen come and visit Canada in 2016 to welcome in our new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and family 🙂 A Royal Tour from coast to coast!