King Charles stamps.Photo: ROYAL MAIL GROUP/AFP via Getty Images
King Charles IIIis coming to mailboxes across the U.K. — but without a royal accessory.
Unlike his mother, whose image showed her wearing a crown and jewelry, Charles has approved a plainer portrait.
Kings “have not always worn a crown, so quite rightly, the King has decided that’s the image he wants, and we are very happy to show that image as he chose,” explained David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at the Royal Mail.
King Charles stamps.Image courtesy of The Postal Museum
“It is a meticulous process,” Gold said. “This is a massive change. People have grown up only ever seeing the image of Her Majesty…it’s been 70 years.” And the image remained “pretty much the same” since 1967, he said.
King Charles stamps.Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty Images
Thenew coinsfor the U.K. featuring the King were unveiled in September.
King Charles' portrait turns to the left, while his mother’s faced right.
“Charles has followed that general tradition that we have in British coinage, going all the way back to Charles II actually, that the monarch faces in the opposite direction to their predecessor,” said Chris Barker of the Royal Mint Museum, per the AP.
King Charles and Queen Camilla.OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
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King Charles is the seventh British monarch to appear on stamps, with Queen Victoria being the first in 1840.
Earlier this week, the British government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport debuted anew websitededicated to the crowning ceremony of King Charles andQueen Camilla, 75. The launch came on Feb. 6, the Accession Day of the lateQueen Elizabeth IIand three months ahead of thecoronationof her eldest son on May 6.
Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images
source: people.com
