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In this section you can find a selection of images of stamps showing the various monarchs since 1840 when stamps were first invented. These will be a useful resource for illustrating how powerful people are careful about how they are represented.

Also in this section are two documents from The Royal Mail Archive. The first serves to illustrate how involved Queen Elizabeth II was in the design of the definitive stamp that depicts her. The second demonstrates the care that the artists designing the stamp were expected to take over how The Queen was to be presented.

Images of monarachs on stamps


Image of a Penny Black stampThe first ever postage stamp the Penny Black 1840
The first ever postage stamp in the world was the Penny Black, introduced in Britain in 1840. It was decided that Queen Victoria's (1837-1901) head was so widely recognisable that it would be easy to spot a forgery.


Image of Edward VII 1 pence stampEdward VII one penny stamp 1902
This stamp shows how Edward VII (1901-1910) was portrayed on the definitive stamps of the day.



Image of George V Downey head stampGeorge V stamps 1912
The first stamps of George V's reign (1910-1936) used what is referred to as the 'Downey Head'. This was replaced by a return to the traditional head in profile that had been used in previous definitive stamps.


Image of Edward VIII 1 pence stampEdward VIII 1 penny stamp 1936
Edward VIII was only King of England for 11 months (Jan-Dec 1936). During this short period however the definitive stamps showed a profile photograph of him.


Image of Geroge V three halfpence stampGeorge VI three halpence stamp 1937
George VI (1936-1952) stamps again showed the King's head in profile.


Image of 28p Machin stampElizabeth II stamps
When Queen Elizabeth II (1952- ) started her reign the definitive stamps showed a photograph of her that had been taken by Dorothy Wilding. 



Documents on the design of the Machin head stamp for Queen Elizabeth II

Image of letter from Tony Benn to The Queen about the new definitive stamp in 1965Copy of letter from Anthony Wedgewood Benn to Queen Elizabeth II in 1965
This letter written from the Postmaster General, Anthony Wedgewood Benn to The Queen outlines Benn's plans to allow the public to submit new ideas for commemorative and definitive stamps. It underlines the importance of The Queen's input into stamp design and talks of The Queen's recent consent to the use of a new photograph as the basis for the new definitive stamps.


Image of extract from the instructions to artists for the design of new definitive stamp in 1965-66Excerpt from the instructions to the artists for the creation of the new definitive stamp 1965-1966
This document is an extract from the instructions that were sent to the artists asked to submit designs for a new definitive stamp for Queen Elizabeth II. Arnold Machin's design was chosen out of all the submissions and his design is still in use today. The instructions show how the artists were instructed to present The Queen and the care that was to be taken over this.