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By David Hartwig
Great Britain’s Royal Mail announced the subjects and dates of the first eight issues of its 2026 commemorative stamp program.
The program begins Jan. 13 with stamps commemorating the American sci-fi television series Stranger Things, which ran on the Netflix streaming service for five seasons beginning in 2016 and ending Dec. 31, 2025. The show ranked 68th in a 2021 BBC list of the 100 greatest television series of the 21st century.
A Jan. 21 issue salutes the Concorde supersonic airliner with an issue date exactly 50 years after Concorde began scheduled commercial service with British Airways and Air France on Jan. 21, 1976.
The airliner appears on several previous Royal Mail stamp issues, including a March 1, 1969, set (Scott 581-583) commemorating the first flight of the prototype plane on that same day. The Concorde is also featured on a stamp (2049) in a 2002 set and in the 2009 British Design set (2619 and 2643).
The 2026 program continues Feb. 19 with an issue celebrating the British company Hornby Model Railways, which marks its 125th anniversary in 2026. Hornby model trains have appeared in two separate sets of stamps picturing toys, one in 2003 (Scott 2155) and one in 2017 (3647).
On Feb. 26 Royal Mail will release a Roses issue, which comes 25 years after a set of rose stamps issued in 1991 (1382-1386) and 50 years after a 1976 set marking the 100th anniversary of the Royal National Rose Society (786-789).
A March 20 issue has the subject of The Lord of the Rings. Royal Mail previously issued a set of 10 stamps (2183-2192) in 2004 to mark the 50th anniversary of the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. The 2026 stamp issue may instead correspond with the popular movie trilogy, which debuted 25 years ago in 2001.
Royal Mail will honor the 100th birth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II with an April 21 stamp issue.
A May 21 issue will add to Royal Mail’s list of stamps featuring castles, and a June 23 issue has the subject of waterfalls.
Royal Mail says the full 2026 special stamp calendar will be published later in the year. This program is tentative and subject to change.
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