The first stamps to bear the image of King Charles III have been revealed.
His Majesty’s image will be on the definitive stamp issued in April 2023.
The King has been determined that remaining stock featuring Queen Elizabeth II is used first, to save resources and money. However, the purple first class stamp showing His Majesty in profile will be on sale on April 4th 2023, as the seven month anniversary of his reign approaches.
King Charles III’s image is adapted from a portrait by Martin Jennings for The Royal Mint. Coins bearing The Kings likeness have already been issued with a 50p entering circulation at the end of 2022.
All coins and stamps bearing the image of Queen Elizabeth II remain legal.
A definitive stamp only features the monarch’s image, which is placed centrally. It is different from the commemorative stamps regularly issued by the Royal Mail which have a special image with the monarch’s profile shown in a reduced size in one corner.
King Charles becomes the seventh British monarch to feature on definitive stamps. The first was Queen Victoria who was shown in profile on the Penny Black which was the first stick on stamp issued in the world for use in a public system. Since then, King Edward VII, King George V, King Edward VIII, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II have all been seen on definitive stamps.
However, King Charles III’s first stamp will be different from other definitive issues. Bar codes are now compulsory on stamps in the UK and His Majesty is the first British Monarch who won’t be seen on a non barcoded stamp.
The definitives will only be available online with the Royal Mail website now open for people to register interest ahead of them going on sale.
