THE Royal Mail is celebrating the Queen’s 60th anniversary of the accession to the throne with a special sheet of new first-class definitive stamps.
The Diamond Jubilee Miniature Sheet, issued today, is the first time the official portraits of the Queen, sourced from stamps, coins and banknotes, have been brought together for a stamp issue.
Included among the six stamps is a brand-new first-class diamond blue definitive stamp, which will replace the current standard gold definitive in post offices during 2012. Since it first appeared, the standard definitive image has been reproduced on more than 220 billion of Royal Mail’s stamps.
It has now been specially updated to mark the occasion with the words Diamond Jubilee highlighted in iridescent ink in the background.
Moya Greene, chief executive of Royal Mail, said: "Royal Mail is proud of our enduring association with Her Majesty the Queen. It is the company’s honour to play a part in what will be a historic celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
"The Queen’s image is one of the most recognisable in the world and we are delighted to bring these iconic images together to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession."
Her Majesty, the then Princess Elizabeth, acceded to the throne on February 6, 1952.
Queen Elizabeth II’s 60-year reign is the second longest for a British monarch behind only Queen Victoria who ruled for 63 years and seven months.
