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The last set of stamps to feature the late Queen’s silhouette has been unveiled by the Royal Mail following her death in September.
The new set marks the 100th anniversary of steam locomotive the Flying Scotsman.
It signals the end of an era, as Her Majesty has been featured on special stamps since 1966.
From now on, all newly produced special stamps will feature King Charles III, who will hold his historic coronation in May.
Both the King and late Queen were eager to minimise waste and use existing supplies before new stamps were released.
The first stamps to feature a portrait of Charles went on display at the beginning of February ahead of their official launch later this year.
The new commemorative set features 12 stamps depicting the National Railway Museum’s famous train in various locations across the UK.
The spots include the Ribblehead Viaduct in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and at London’s Victoria Station.
A further miniature set of four stamps features images of the Flying Scotsman and London North Eastern Railway poster artwork from the 1920s and ’30s, when it first began travelling on British rails.
David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said: ‘Flying Scotsman is a national treasure of engineering and design that conjures up the golden age of steam travel.’
The ‘remarkable locomotive epitomises the romance of rail travel and is loved’ by people all over the world, he added.
He said: ’We are honoured to mark this landmark milestone with a set of special stamps.’
Stamp illustrator David Gentleman is responsible for the design, adapted from Mary Gillick’s original, which has been in constant use on British stamps since 1968.
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