Royal Mail today announced that the current image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth used on the Machin Definitive ‘everyday’ stamps will be updated to feature an image of His Majesty King Charles III. His Majesty will appear on new 1st and 2nd Class Definitive stamps, as well as all those of other values.
Special Stamps will also feature a silhouette of the King.
Royal Mail will reveal the image and timings of the new Definitive stamps and the new silhouette in due course.
In line with guidance from the Royal Household, to minimise the environmental and financial impact of the change of monarch, existing stocks of Definitive stamps that feature The Late Queen and the Special Stamps which use her silhouette, will be distributed and issued as planned. The launch dates of some of the Special Stamps may change. Details will be made available at the appropriate time.
New stamps featuring King Charles will enter circulation once current stocks of stamps are exhausted.
Royal Mail is also advising that stamps bearing the image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II remain valid for use.
As previously announced, following the introduction of barcodes to the Definitive ‘everyday’ stamps, non-barcoded Definitive stamps remain valid until the end of January 2023. Full details of how customers can swap their non-barcoded stamps for the new barcoded versions, can be found here.
Postboxes:
In line with past practice, following the death of a monarch all existing post boxes will remain unchanged. Post boxes already in production or being prepared for installation, will also retain the insignia of Queen Elizabeth II. Once these have been installed, new postboxes will feature the cypher of King Charles III.
Source: His Majesty King Charles III to feature on Royal Mail Definitive ‘everyday’ stamps
