King Charles’ portrait will feature on all new UK stamps for first time from today

UK stamps will feature the King’s image for the first time from today, but the Queen’s image will still remain on our post for some time.

Charles’ portrait, adapted by the design of artist Martin Jennings for use on coins by the Royal Mint, will appear on all new stamps with presentation packs on sale.

Royal Mail director of external affairs and policy David Gold said Charles has asked for existing stocks featuring the late monarch’s image to be used first rather than destroyed.

The new stamps will not be sold at post offices and other retailers until stamps featuring his mother’s image have all been used.

Mr Gold said: “The King gave very clear directions he didn’t want anything to be pulped, he didn’t want things being shredded, he didn’t want stock being thrown away. He was very clear, however long it takes to clear the stock there’s no rush… entirely in line with his well-stated principles of waste and environmentalism.”

The new stamp features Charles’ head and neck facing left, as all monarchs have done since Queen Victoria appeared on the Penny Black – the world’s first postage stamp in 1840.

The first stamps featuring Charles’ silhouette went on sale in March in the corner of a collection celebrating the nation’s favourite flowers. His mother’s silhouette had featured on special edition stamps since 1966.

Mr Gold said: “The guidance we got from His Majesty was more about continuity and not doing anything too different to what had gone before.

“I think there’s an acknowledgement that, for 70 years, people have been so used to seeing the image of Her Majesty – even though the current image only started in 1967 – they didn’t want anything too different.”

The continuity sees the colours of the stamps remaining the same. Plum purple for first class, holly green for second class, marine turquoise for large first class and dark pine green for large second class.

The new first class stamp forms part of an exhibition at London’s Postal Museum which runs until 23 September.

The change in images comes a day after a rise in stamp prices – first class increasing by 15p to £1.10 with second class rising by 7p to 75p.

Royal Mail said the rise was necessary to continue its one-price-goes-anywhere Universal Service.

Chief commercial officer Nick Landon said: “We appreciate that many businesses and households are facing a challenging economic environment and we are committed to keeping our prices affordable. Letters have declined by 25% compared to pre-pandemic.

“We have to carefully balance our pricing against a continued decline in letter volumes and the increasing costs of delivering letters six days a week to an ever-growing number of addresses across the country.”