Her Majesty’s image is an adapted version of the portrait created by Martin Jennings for the obverse of the new coins. King Charles III is shown in profile, looking to the left. This look has been given to all portraits of monarchs printed on stamps for more than a century and a half – since the issue of the Queen Victoria stamp in 1840.
As informed by the British Royal Mail, several types of stamps have been developed. Visually, they differ in the background, which varies from plum purple to dark turquoise. Postal Service Chief Executive Simon Thompson noted that UK stamps do not indicate the country of origin, as the image of the monarch is sufficient to determine this.
Incidentally, in order to minimize the environmental and financial impact of the change of monarch, existing stocks of definitive stamps bearing the image of Elizabeth II remain valid and will be used until exhausted.
It should be noted that the first coins with the portrait of Charles III entered circulation in December, but new banknotes will appear only in 2024.
