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Charles III is now depicted on British stamps, but many featuring the face of Queen Elizabeth are still in circulation.
The image of the King – now included on first and second-class stamps – was revealed earlier this year with a Royal Mail executive describing it as a “defining part” of his reign.
Can I continue using stamps with the Queen on them?
Yes. David Gold said Royal Mail had received guidance from the King that it should maintain “continuity”, and that Charles did not want existing stamp stocks showing the Queen pulped, but used up over time.
“The King gave very clear directions he didn’t want anything to be pulped, he didn’t want things being shredded, he didn’t want stock being thrown away,” added Mr Gold.
“He was very clear, however long it takes you to clear the stock there’s no rush, and that’s entirely in line with his well stated principles on waste and environmentalism.”
However, from July 31, 2023 you’ll need to make sure it has a barcode as stamps without one are becoming obsolete.
Initially, the deadline to use the old-style stamps was Tuesday 31 January 2023, but Royal Mail subsequently introduced a “six-month grace period”.
What does the new stamp look like?
For the first time, Charles’s portrait will appear on stamps in his role as monarch, and the simple, uncluttered design draws inspiration from stamps that featured Elizabeth II.
The new stamp design features Charles’s head and neck, and the King is shown facing left, as all monarchs have done since the Penny Black, the world’s first postage stamp, was issued in 1840 with Queen Victoria’s image.
David Gold, Royal Mail’s director of external affairs and policy, said: “The guidance we got from His Majesty was more about continuity and not doing anything too different to what had gone before.
“I think perhaps there’s an acknowledgement that, for 70 years people have been so used to seeing the image of Her Majesty, even though actually the current image only started in 1967, they didn’t want to do anything too different to what had gone before.
“Personally, I think what marks this stamp out is that there is no embellishment at all, no crown, just simply the face of the human being, on the plain background, almost saying, ‘This is me and I’m at your service,’ which I think in this modern age is actually rather humbling.”
The King’s image is used on definitive stamps, sometimes referred to as “every day” stamps, that show only the monarch’s head and the value of the stamp, on a plain coloured background with a barcode alongside.
When do the King Charles stamps go on sale?
The stamps went on sale from April 4 but collectors and the public can now register their interest on Royal Mail’s website.
Post offices and other retailers will not start selling the new stamps until their stocks featuring the late Queen are sold.
The new first-class stamp will form part of an exhibition at the Postal Museum about the nation’s definitive stamps. Called The King’s Stamp, it runs until September 23 at the museum in central London. It will be a unique chance to see a sheet of King Charles III first-class stamps.
Who designed the new King Charles stamps?
British artist Martin Jennings made a profile sculpture of Charles for the Royal Mint, who were creating UK coins, and a team for the Royal Mail adapted an image of the artwork, adjusting and relighting the picture for use on the new stamps.
Commenting on the efforts of the Royal Mail team who began working on the project following the Queen’s death in September, Mr Gold added: “I don’t underestimate how challenging it was for them. But also I know that I can say on their behalf how privileged they felt to be able to work on this project … it will for ever be a part of history. It’s a clear, defining part of the reign of King Charles.”
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