[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Children’s Classic, The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, Celebrated With a Set of Special Stamps

• Issue date: 22 May
• The main set of eight stamps features illustrations specially commissioned by Royal Mail and depict key scenes from all seven fantasy novels
• A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet, show artwork by Pauline Baynes, illustrator of the original seven volumes of the series
• The stamps and a range of collectible products are available at www.royalmail.com/narnia and by telephone on 03457 641641

Royal Mail has revealed images of 12 stamps being issued to mark The Chronicles of Narnia, the series of seven fantasy novels written by British author C.S. Lewis. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of the first book in the series, the timeless classic, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

The Chronicles of Narnia is considered a classic of children’s literature and is Lewis’s best-selling work, having sold 120 million copies in 47 languages. The series has also been adapted for radio, television, the stage, film, and video games.

The main set of eight stamps features illustrations specially commissioned for Royal Mail by British illustrator, Keith Robinson. They depict key scenes from each of the novels. Robinson specialises in book covers and narrative illustration for children’s publishing. His art has appeared in picture books, young fiction, educational and non-fiction books. His paintings and drawings are often of fantasy, mythological, fairytale, horror and historical subjects.

A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet, show artwork by Pauline Baynes, illustrator of the original seven volumes of the series.

The books are set in the fictional world of Narnia, a magical realm inhabited by talking animals, mythical creatures, and various fantastical beings. Books in the series, in order of publication, are: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). Prince Caspian (1951), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952), The Silver Chair (1953), The Horse and His Boy (1954), The Magician’s Nephew (1955) and The Last Battle (1956), Illustrated by Pauline Baynes (1922-2008). They remain among the most popular classics of children’s literature.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy, Royal Mail, said: “These delightful stamps capture the timeless magic of Narnia and honour the enduring legacy of the books. The Chronicles of Narnia remain a perennial favourite of children around the world, so it is fitting that we celebrate the stories with a new set of stamps featuring newly commissioned artwork alongside artwork that will bring back fond memories for many who grew up with these great books.”

A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps is priced at £20.70. The stamps are on sale from 22 May.

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Valour and Victory: Stories of the Second World War:
Royal Mail Stamps Mark the 80^th Anniversary of VE Day

• Issue date: 1 May, 2025
• The main set of 10 stamps honour men and women who made extraordinary contributions during the Second World War
• Also celebrated in a mini-sheet of stamps is national icon Dame Vera Lynn, shown in four images from different aspects of her wartime career
• The stamps and a range of collectible products are available at www.royalmail.com/valour and by telephone on 03457 641641

Nations wage wars, but it is individuals who fight them. The 80^th anniversary of the end of the Second World War is an opportunity to acknowledge just some of the remarkable men and women who made extraordinary contributions during the war. These incredible people were working for the war effort both at home and behind enemy lines, and volunteering from across the Commonwealth.

It was the courage and dedication of these individuals, and so many more, that led to the eventual victory in 1945. Royal Mail is issuing a set of stamps to honour the courage and dedication of individuals whose actions saved lives, changed history and shaped Britain’s war effort.

The Second World War is often called ‘the people’s war’ and the people depicted on the stamps represent some of the diverse individuals who made up ‘the people’ in wartime.

Each of the 10 stamps in the main set features an image of the person being honoured, capturing their wartime role – be it pilot, nurse, Commando, SOE operative, codebreaker, engineer or firefighter.

Shown on the stamps are:

• George Arthur Roberts – a military veteran, activist and the first Black man to join the London Auxiliary Fire Service, in 1938, serving bravely throughout the Blitz.
• Mary Morris – her diaries describe how she nursed troops returning wet and wounded from Dunkirk and later travelled to Normandy to care for casualties after the D-Day landings.
• Tommy Macpherson – a Commando known for his audacious actions, including being dropped by submarine in North Africa, where he sabotaged enemy positions.
• Violette Szabó – joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service before volunteering for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and working undercover in occupied France.
• John Harrison – served in the Royal Navy on the destroyer HMS Belfast and was responsible for maintaining ‘A’ and ‘B’ gun turrets at the front of the ship.
• Bhanbhagta Gurung – fought in Operation Longcloth in Burma, now Myanmar, and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery under heavy fire.
• Thomas Peirson Frank – a civil engineer and surveyor whose rapid-response teams repaired over 100 breaches of the Thames wall during air raids, saving many lives.
• Mahinder Singh Pujji – a pilot and Squadron Leader with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Indian Air Force, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his outstanding courage and leadership over Japanese-occupied territory.
• William Tutte – a brilliant mathematician and codebreaker, William (‘Bill’) Tutte’s work was key to decrypting the Lorenz cipher, the German code used for top-level communication and intelligence.
• Lilian Bader – after being forced to leave the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) canteen because of her ethnicity, Bader volunteered to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in 1944, and went on to train as an Instrument Repairer, becoming one of the first members of the WAAF to qualify in this role.

A further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, pay tribute to the late Dame Vera Lynn, her tireless efforts to support the troops and her advocacy for military veterans.

The stamps capture Dame Vera Lynn in different aspects of her wartime career, including her Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) performances, BBC wartime radio programme, and morale-boosting visits to British troops and civilians during the conflict.

Royal Mail worked with historian Professor Lucy Noakes on the stamp issue. Since 2017, she has been Rab Butler Professor of Modern History at the University of Essex and has served as the President of the Royal Historical Society since 2024.

To mark the launch of the stamps, they will be unveiled today (24 April) to an audience of family members of all the individuals who featured on the stamps, and other guests, at an event held at the Imperial War Museum North.

Royal Mail will be applying a special VE80 postmark on stamped mail in the week of the actual anniversary that takes place on Thursday 8 May. The business is also supporting VE Mail, a letter-writing initiative connecting schoolchildren with Second World War veterans. Marking the 80^th anniversary of VE Day, Together Coalition – an organisation aiming to build kinder, closer and more connected communities – has arranged for youngsters to receive personal letters from veterans who share their personal experiences of the war and their reflections on victory. The students then write returning letters expressing theirthoughts and gratitude of the sacrifices made 80 years ago. It’s a unique opportunity to connect generations and encourage children to engage with the past.

Emma Gilthorpe, CEO, Royal Mail said: “Behind every victory of a nation, there are countless unsung heroes whose courage and sacrifice shaped the future of the world. On VE Day, we remember not only the leaders and generals, but the silent warriors whose contributions echo through history. For the 80^th anniversary of VE Day, Royal Mail is proud to issue these stamps honouring the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who fought for freedom and peace.”

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available at www.royalmail.com/valour and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 14 stamps is priced at £24.70. The stamps go on general sale from 1 May.

Stamp-by-Stamp

George Arthur Roberts, BEM, MSM (1891–1970)
George Arthur Roberts was a military veteran, activist, and firefighter during the London Blitz. Born in Trinidad, Roberts had travelled to Britain and joined the British Army, fighting on the Western Front during the First World War. Settling in South London, he was a founding member of both the British Legion and the League of Coloured Peoples.
Too old for combat in the Second World War, he was the first Black man to join the London Auxiliary Fire Service, in 1938, serving bravely throughout the Blitz. Roberts was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for bravery and for his work setting up and leading discussion and education groups in the Fire Service.

Mary Morris (1921–1997)
Mary Morris nursed on the home front and in mainland Europe after D-Day in 1944. Born in County Galway, Ireland, she moved to London in 1939 to train at Guy’s Hospital. Morris’s diaries describe how she nursed troops returning wet and wounded from Dunkirk, badly burnt pilots (both British and German) of the Battle of Britain, and victims of the London Blitz. Joining the nursing branch of the British Army, she travelled to Normandy in 1944, caring for casualties of the landings and describing her ward as a “multi-national microcosm of a Europe at war.” Her diaries were published in 2014.

Tommy Macpherson CBE, MC, TD, DL, CROIX DE GUERRE, LÉGION D’HONNEUR (1920–2014)
Colonel Sir Ronald Thomas (‘Tommy’) Stewart Macpherson was a Commando known for his audacious actions. These included being dropped by submarine in North Africa, where he sabotaged enemy positions before being caught. After several escape attempts from Italian camps, Macpherson was imprisoned in Austria, Germany and Poland. Escaping to Britain, he was parachuted into central France in 1944 to join with the Resistance as part of Operation Jedburgh.

Destroying bridges, railways, and roads vital to the German occupation, Macpherson eventually accepted the surrender of thousands of Axis troops. At one point, 300,000 francs (more than one million pounds in today’s money) was offered for his capture. He was later sent behind enemy lines in Italy and was on standby to fly to Japan when the end of the war came.

Violette Szabó GC, CROIX DE GUERRE WITH STAR, MÉDAILLE DE LA RÉSISTANCE (1921–1945)
Born in Paris to British–French parents, Szabó grew up in both Picardy, France, and London. She joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service before volunteering for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in 1942. Szabó undertook two missions to France for the SOE and was captured after a fierce gun battle in 1944. After interrogation in Paris, Szabó was transferred to Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, where she was executed alongside her comrades Denise Bloch and Lilian Rolfe in February 1945. She was 23 years old and left behind a young daughter. Szabó was posthumously awarded the George Cross, the Croix de Guerre with Star, and the Médaille de la Résistance.

John Harrison (1914–2020)
John Harrison served in the Royal Navy on the destroyer HMS Belfast as an Ordnance Officer responsible for maintaining ‘A’ and ‘B’ gun turrets at the front of the ship. Conditions at sea were often hard, and he was saved from being washed overboard in the Arctic Ocean only when his hand froze onto the metal handle of the turret door. When HMS Belfast was badly damaged by a magnetic mine in November 1939, John Harrison suffered two broken vertebrae in the explosion. The ship was out of action for three years, but he transferred to HMS Atherstonebefore undertaking shore duties.

Bhanbhagta Gurung (1921–2008)
Havildar (Sergeant) Bhanbhagta Gurung was awarded the Victoria Cross while serving as a Rifleman in the 2nd Gurkha Rifles in Burma, now Myanmar, in 1945. Born in the Gorkha District of Nepal, Bhanbhagta Gurung joined the Gurkha Rifles in 1940.

He fought in Operation Longcloth, the first Chindit mission in Burma in 1943, and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery under heavy fire during attempts to clear Japanese soldiers from their position on high ground near Tamandu, Burma, in March 1945.

After the war, he returned to Nepal to care for his family. In 2000, the Gurkha training block at Catterick Camp in Yorkshire was named after him.

Thomas Peirson Frank (1881–1951)
Sir Thomas Peirson Frank was a civil engineer and surveyor, serving as London County Council Coordinating Officer for Road Repairs and Public Utility Services from 1939 to 1945, and was known as ‘the man who saved London from drowning’.

As war approached, Peirson Frank worked in secret to identify the most vulnerable areas of the city, establishing flood defences and the rapid-response Thames Flood Prevention Emergency Repairs Unit. During the Blitz, flooding was a risk to low-lying areas of London – including the Underground, where so many sought shelter from the bombs. Peirson Frank’s rapid-response teams repaired over 100 breaches of the Thames wall during air raids and saved many lives.

Mahinder Singh Pujji, DFC (1918–2010)
Born in Simla (present-day Shimla, India), Singh Pujji was a pilot and Squadron Leader with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Indian Air Force, who fought in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Training as a pilot in the 1930s, he volunteered for service with the RAF, arriving in Britain in 1940. Flying both Hurricanes and Spitfires, Singh Pujji was involved in many dogfights with Luftwaffe pilots and was forced down twice. In 1945, Singh Pujji was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his outstanding courage and leadership over Japanese-occupied territory. He eventually settled in London and worked as an air-traffic controller at Heathrow Airport.

William Tutte, OC, FRS, FRSC (1917–2002)
A brilliant mathematician and codebreaker, William (‘Bill’) Tutte’s work was key to decrypting the Lorenz cipher, the German code used for top-level communication and intelligence. The son of a housekeeper and a gardener from Newmarket, Tutte won a scholarship to the University of Cambridge before joining the Research Section at Bletchley Park, the centre of British codebreaking.

Tutte’s groundbreaking work on the structure of the Lorenz machine enabled the team at Bletchley Park to crack the Lorenz cipher, a system even more complex than Enigma, providing information vital for D-Day planning and invasion. After the war, Tutte emigrated to Canada, becoming a Professor at the University of Waterloo.

Lilian Bader (1918–2015)
Leading Aircraftwoman Lilian Bader was born in Liverpool and raised in a Middlesbrough convent after being orphaned at the age of nine. When war broke out, she worked at a Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) canteen but was forced to leave because of her ethnicity. Undaunted, she volunteered to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in 1944, and went on to train as an Instrument Repairer, passing her course ‘First Class’ and becoming one of the first members of the WAAF to qualify in this role.

She excelled at her job and was soon promoted to Acting Corporal. Bader went on to take a degree at London University and became a teacher.

Philatelic products:These include the limited-edition uncirculated coin cover shown above (£19.99); a silver proof coin cover (£75.00), a gold proof coin cover (£1,475.00), a prestige booklet (£28.65), a collectors sheet (£18.20), a gold stamp set (£149.99), and EuroPhilEx Limited Editions of the full set of stamps (£18.20) and the miniature sheet (£6.80).

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Celebrates Myths and Legends with a Set of Special Stamps

• Issue date: 27 March
• The eight-stamp set explores the mythical creatures and legendary figures of UK folklore
• The images feature: Beowulf and Grendel, Blodeuwedd, the Loch Ness Monster, Cornish piskies, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Black Shuck, a grindylow and a selkie
• The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/myths and by telephone on 03457 641641

Royal Mail has revealed images of eight striking illustrations capturing the spirit of well-known mythical creatures and legendary figures of folklore.

The images feature: Beowulf and Grendel, Blodeuwedd, the Loch Ness Monster, Cornish piskies, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Black Shuck, a grindylow and a selkie.

The stamps were illustrated by London-based artist Adam Simpson. Simpson’s work has been shortlisted for a British Design Award and he was included in the Art Directors Club Young Guns awards.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy, Royal Mail, said: “For some parts of the UK, local myths and legends are as much a part of their identity as the local landmarks and architecture. These beautifully illustrated stamps celebrate a fascinating aspect of British culture and custom.”

Myths and Legends of the UK:
The landscape of the United Kingdom resounds with folktales, myths and legends. Each region has its own unique stories, creating a tapestry of tales passed down over centuries that offers fascinating insights into the shared cultural imagination.

The Old English poem Beowulf recounts how the eponymous hero defended the Danish King Hrothgar’s mead hall, vanquishing the monstrous Grendel.
Across the sea, Northern Ireland’s heroic tale of Fionn mac Cumhaill explains how he built the Giant’s Causeway, outwitting a Scottish giant with strength and cunning.

Myths such as the Welsh story of Blodeuwedd, conjured from flowers and destined to wed an unwanted suitor, illustrate the complexities of human emotions and behaviour, including love and betrayal. In Orkney and Shetland, selkies shed their seal skins to take human form. Exploring loss and longing, these folktales often recount how selkies eventually leave their human mates, succumbing to their yearning for the sea.

Some stories tackle human foibles, such as temptation and forgetfulness. The piskies of Cornwall are blamed for stealing household items and leading travellers astray with their pisky lights.

Cautionary tales often warn of grave dangers. Grindylows are sprites with long arms who lurk in the rivers and ponds of Lancashire and Yorkshire, waiting to drag curious children to their deaths. Black Shuck, a spectral hound with fiery eyes, stalks the countryside of East Anglia, foretelling death and destruction. One of the most famous legendary creatures in the world, the Scottish Loch Ness Monster taps into the primal fear of the unknown. This long-necked, humped beast snakes through the depths, a remnant of our ancient past that still waits for us in the deep.

Exploring the mythical creatures and legendary figures of folklore entails uncovering not only intriguing stories but also the deeper meanings and values they convey. These tales continue to captivate and inspire, offering a fascinating window into the collective psyche of the United Kingdom.

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order at www.royalmail.com/myths and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all eight stamps is priced at £14.10. The stamps go on general sale from 27 March.

From VSC: Products include

• Medal Cover £19.99
• Framed Stamps £39.99
• First day covers, with Tallent House or Drumnadrochit, Inverness postmarks £16.50
• Postcards £3.60

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Special Stamps Celebrate the Incredible Array of Wildlife That Inhabits Gardens Across The UK

• Issue date: 11 March
• The 10-stamp set shows striking images of wildlife that inhabits gardens of the UK
• Featured on the stamps are: a Fox; Blackbird; Common Frog; Blue Tit; Badger; Smooth Newt; Hedgehog; Robin; Buff-tailed Bumblebee; and Garden Snail
• The stamps and a range of collectible products are available at www.royalmail.com/gardenwildlife and by telephone on 03457 641641

The gardens of the UK support a huge diversity of wildlife. Today Royal Mail reveals images of 10 stamps that explore some of the species that inhabit the nation’s gardens.

The wildlife shown on the stamps are commonly seen and readily identifiable – they are also widespread and include some of our most popular species.

Featured on the stamps are: a Fox; Blackbird; Common Frog; Blue Tit; Badger; Smooth Newt; Hedgehog; Robin; Buff-tailed Bumblebee; and Garden Snail.

Royal Mail worked with Professor Dawn Scott, Executive Dean of the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences at Nottingham Trent University, on the stamp issue.

Professor Scott said: “It was fantastic to work with Royal Mail to celebrate our iconic British garden wildlife in this special collection. Gardens can provide havens for a rich diversity of wildlife, this collection highlights just a few. I hope the beautiful images inspire people to continue to support wildlife in their own gardens.”

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “British people are renowned for their love of gardens, and no matter how small, in urban or rural areas, wildlife can thrive there. These stamps capture the rich diversity of wildlife found in gardens across the UK, and remind us how lucky we are to live so close to nature.”

Wildlife of the UK:
Within the millions of gardens in the UK, there is a wide range of habitats, including flowerbeds, shrubs, lawns, ponds and compost bins, each providing resources to support a plethora of species.

Positive management of our gardens – such as increasing flowering-plant diversity, reducing chemical use and providing natural food resources and refuges for hibernating animals, not only benefits our wildlife but also gives us immense benefits from increasing biodiversity.

Wildlife pollinates our plants to provide us with fresh fruit and vegetables. Wildlife recycles the waste in our compost bins and eats insects to keep control of their numbers. Gardens and green spaces have also been shown to be beneficial for our physical and mental health. All that is needed is a space in which wildlife can thrive, and humans feel the benefits.

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available at www.royalmail.com/gardenwildlife and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 10 stamps is priced at £13.40. The stamps go on general sale from 11 March.

Stamp-by-Stamp
Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Also known as the red fox, this iconic omnivorous carnivore is widespread across the UK and commonly seen in gardens but, due to its adaptability, also occurs in many different habitats, from coasts to uplands. It has distinctive reddish-orange fur with white on the neck and belly, black on the legs and a thick, bushy tail. Foxes are generalists, having a wide diet that includes insects, fruit, small mammals and leftovers put out for them. They breed once a year, with cubs being sighted playing in gardens in early summer-

Blackbird
Turdus merula
Blackbirds are found widely across the UK, from gardens to countryside, coasts to hills. They are common and easily recognisable garden visitors. The males are black with bright orange-yellow beaks and yellow eye-rings, whereas females are brown, often with spots and streaks on their breasts, and brown beaks. Blackbirds feed on a variety of insects, worms and molluscs, also eating berries and fruit when in season. They forage mostly on the ground, turning over leaf litter and probing the soil for food.

Common frog
Rana temporaria
Widespread in mainland Britain, frogs are found in damp habitats including gardens with ponds. They have smooth skin – grey, olive-green and yellow-to-brown in colour – with irregular dark blotches and a dark stripe around their eyes. Frogs are mainly active at night and eat insects (using their long, sticky tongues), as well as snails, slugs and worms. In spring, males call to attract females to breed. Frogs lay large clumps of black-dotted jelly frogspawn in shallow water. Young tadpoles feed on algae, but then become carnivorous.-

Blue tit
Cyanistes caeruleus
Possessing distinctive blue-and-white heads, with black eye-stripes and yellow breasts, blue tits are one of our most familiar garden visitors. They are common in woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens, feeding on insects, seeds and nuts. It is estimated that over 15 million blue tits overwinter in the UK, with numbers recently increasing, possibly due to supplementary food and bird-box provisions in gardens. They are considered strictly ‘residential’ birds, rarely moving far from where they hatch.

Badger
Meles meles
With their unique black-and-white face markings, and being the largest native land carnivores in the UK, badgers (also known as European or Eurasian badgers) are easily recognisable. They are members of the mustelid family, closely related to otters, stoats and weasels. Badgers live in groups called clans, based in underground setts. They are nocturnal, spending much of the night foraging for food. Although their diet can be wide-ranging, badgers do have a liking for earthworms and can eat over 200 in a night.-

Smooth newt
Lissotriton vulgaris
Also known as the common newt, this species is widespread and often found in garden ponds or in habitats such as woodpiles and rockeries. They feed on insects, slugs and worms on land, and hunt invertebrates and frog tadpoles in the water. Both males and females are grey or brown in colour and have an orange or yellow belly with black spots that extend up to the throat. During the breeding season, males develop a wavy crest along their body and tail. Females lay their eggs individually and wrap them in aquatic plant leaves for protection.

Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
Garden visitors that have been voted Britain’s favourite mammal, hedgehogs were once widespread across the UK in woodland, arable land, hedgerows and grassland, but have recently suffered population declines. Unmistakable in appearance, hedgehogs (also known as European hedgehogs) have several thousand spines across their backs, and pointed furry faces with small black eyes and investigative noses. Known as ‘gardeners’ friends’ due to their diet of slugs, snails, beetles and caterpillars, hedgehogs hibernate from around November to April. In gardens, this can happen in piles of leaves or logs, in compost heaps and under sheds.-

Robin
Erithacus rubecula
With their highly distinctive red breasts, contrasting with brown bodies and white undersides, robins have been named the UK’s favourite birds. Found in a range of habitats, and common in gardens, robins are known to follow gardeners, hoovering up insects and worms that have been unearthed, although they also feed on seeds, fruits and other invertebrates. Males and females are identical in appearance. They are aggressively territorial and reinforce this by singing loudly from prominent perches.

Buff-tailed bumblebee
Bombus terrestris
The buff-tailed bumblebee is a common and widespread species found in gardens, parks and lowland areas throughout the UK. It is a large bumblebee, with yellow bands at the collar and on the abdomen. It feeds on a wide range of flowers such as lavenders, thistles and daisy-like species where its short tongue can easily reach the available nectar. The species is named after the buff-coloured tail of the queen, although workers and males have an almost white tail, often with a narrow buff-coloured line between the black abdomen and tail.-

Garden snail
Cornu aspersum
Some of the most widespread garden animals, snails have pale-grey skin and brown or yellowish shells with pale flecking and dark spiralling bands. They are active at night, feeding on leaves, fungi and plant debris. Garden snails generally hibernate during winter. After mating, they lay around 80 white eggs in an underground nest. The newly hatched snails have fragile shells and take about two years to mature. Snails are hermaphrodites, having both female and male reproductive cells, meaning they can also reproduce by self-fertilisation.

Other philatelic products for this issue include:

• Collectors Sheet (right) £13.70
• Postcards £4.50
• Stamp Souvenir (unpersonalised FDC) (below) £15.65

However, no personalized FDCs are offered for this issue, nor choice of postmarks.

• First-day envelope £0.30
• Full sheet of 50 1st class stamps £82.50
• Full sheet of 50 2nd class stamps £42.50
• Framed stamps £39.99

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Legendary Rock Band AC/DC Celebrated with 12 Special StampsIssue date: 18 February

• Stamps mark the 50th anniversary of AC/DC’s groundbreaking debut album, High Voltage
• The main set of eight stamps features dynamic images of the band performing live, while an additional four stamps show the covers of some of their most successful and influential albums
• The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/acdc and by telephone on 03457 641641

Royal Mail is celebrating the legendary rock band AC/DC with a set of special stamps marking the 50th anniversary of their groundbreaking debut album, High Voltage.

The main set of eight stamps captures some of the band’s dynamic live performances over the last 50 years in venues across the world.

A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet feature the covers of four iconic AC/DC studio albums: High Voltage – AC/DC’s debut album; Highway to Hell – their sixth studio album released in 1979; Back in Black – the biggest-selling rock album of all time, and Power Up – AC/DC’s triumphant return in 2020. The stamps in the miniature sheet are set against a striking design taken from their album Black Ice.

Formed in 1973, AC/DC have spent more than 50 years perfecting the art of stripping rock music back to its core elements. Led by the twin-guitar attack of Glasgow-born brothers, Malcolm and Angus Young, and with two of the greatest frontmen in history – Bon Scott (1974-1980) and subsequently Brian Johnson (1980 to present) – in their ranks, the band is responsible for the biggest-selling rock album of all time, 1980’s Back in Black – a record that defined the sound of hard rock for a long time to come.

Outside of the studio, AC/DC command a devoted following drawn to the band’s electrifying live shows: supercharged performances complete with outsized props and stadium-ready anthems that continue to set the bar for any self-respecting rock act. In their current incarnation, with Stevie Young standing in for his late uncle Malcolm, AC/DC remain fully charged.
AC/DC become the eighth music band to feature in a dedicated Royal Mail stamp issue – following on from: The Beatles, 2007; Pink Floyd, 2016; Queen, 2020; The Rolling Stones, 2022; Iron Maiden, 2023; Spice Girls, 2024; and The Who, 2024.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “AC/DC is one of the most successful rock bands in the world. Over the past half century, they have recorded some of the best-known rock anthems and have given us Back in Black – the biggest-selling rock album of all time. These stamps capture a sample of their electrifying live performances, along with some of their most iconic album covers, and celebrate their significant contribution to the world of rock music.”

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/acdc and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps is priced at £22.10. The stamps go on general sale from 18 February.

The rest of the individual stamp designs:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Magnificent Armour and Artefacts of the Royal Armouries Celebrated with 12 Special Stamps

• The Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom’s national museum of arms and armour
• Eight stamps show stunning examples of armour from 1520 to 1686 owned by monarchs including King Henry VIII, King Charles I, King Charles II and King James II. A further four stamps show images of other treasures from the Royal Armouries collection from the UK, Europe and Asia.
• The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/royalarmouries and by telephone on 03457 641641

The Royal Armouries’ origins lie in the Middle Ages, and at its core is the celebrated collection originating in the nation’s working arsenal, assembled over many centuries at the Tower of London.

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, selected items began to be arranged for display to visitors, making the Royal Armouries one of the oldest deliberately created visitor attractions in the country.

The collection consists of over 75,000 objects from around the globe and spans the ancient world to the present day.

It is displayed at three sites: the White Tower at the Tower of London, a purpose-built museum in Leeds (which includes the National Firearms Centre) and at Fort Nelson near Portsmouth.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “These stamps show magnificent examples of craftsmanship, engineering and high fashion, proving that for royal warriors of the past, dressing to impress was as important on the battlefield as anywhere else. We are grateful to the Royal Armouries for allowing us to share just a few examples from their collection”.

Jack Wanstall, Senior Licensing and Partnerships Manager, Royal Armouries said: “The Royal Armouries is delighted to be working in partnership with Royal Mail to showcase a selection of objects from our collection of over 75,000 pieces of history. Each object tells a story and we hope these stunning pieces will inspire curiosity about the role of arms and armour in shaping our world”.

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/royalarmouries and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps is priced at £20.10. The stamps go on general sale from 30 January.

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Award-Winning “The Vicar Of Dibley” Celebrated With Royal Mail Special Stamps

• Royal Mail celebrates one of the UK’s most successful and award-winning comedy series with a set of 12 Special Stamps
• Issue Date: 14 January
• Eight stamps depict iconic scenes from the series, while a further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, shows a Dibley Parish Council meeting
• The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order at www.royalmail.com/vicarofdibley and by telephone on 03457 641641

Royal Mail is issuing 12 stamps to celebrate one of the UK’s most successful and award-winning comedy series”The Vicar of Dibley.”

The series, which ran on the BBC from November 1994 to January 2007, was set in the fictional Oxfordshire village of Dibley. Following the 1993 changes in the Church of England to permit the ordination of women, the series portrayed a female vicar who had been assigned to the church in the village.

Starring Dawn French in the titular role of the down-to-earth, witty and clever vicar, Geraldine Granger, the character was specially created for her by writers Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer. French was surrounded by a who’s who of seasoned TV professionals: “Only Fools and Horses” legend Roger Lloyd-Pack as fearsome farmer Owen; Emma Chambers as dotty verger Alice; floppy-fringed “Four Weddings and a Funeral” star James Fleet as the hapless Hugo; and TV veteran Gary Waldhorn as his domineering, aristocratic father, David.

It is among the most successful British programmes, receiving multiple British Comedy Awards, an International Emmy and was a multiple British Academy Television Awards nominee.

A further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, shows a Dibley Parish Council meeting.David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “The superb writing and the warmth and idiosyncrasies of its characters made “The Vicar of Dibley” one of the most loved TV comedies of all time. We celebrate the series with new stamps revisiting some of the show’s classic moments.”

“The Vicar of Dibley”
Just eight months after the first 32 British women were ordained as Church of England vicars, a sitcom debuted on the BBC that not only became a beloved small-screen institution but also helped an entire nation understand the controversial decision. Created and co-written by “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Blackadder” mastermind Richard Curtis, alongside co-writer Paul Mayhew-Archer, “The Vicar of Dibley” introduced audiences to a new kind of priest – Geraldine Granger, the chocolate-eating, plain-spoken but warm-hearted new vicar who initially horrifies her parishioners in the sleepy English village of Dibley.

But even the members of the parish council – including pompous landowner David, his perky son Hugo, straight-talking farmer Owen and verbally-challenged eccentric Jim – soon warm to Geraldine, thanks to her innate personal charm, forgiving nature and snappy way with a one-liner. Indeed, the only person her wit doesn’t work on is Alice, the scatterbrained verger who becomes Geraldine’s best friend despite constantly misunderstanding her jokes.

“The Vicar of Dibley” ran for three series [“seasons” in the U.S.] with multiple festive specials and Comic Relief shorts. In 2020, “The Vicar of Dibley” was named Britain’s third-favourite sitcom of all time in a BBC poll.

Individual Stamp Descriptions:

2nd Class: Geraldine officiates at Alice and Hugo’s chaotic wedding ceremony.2nd Class: After hearing that Alice and Hugo are expecting a baby, Geraldine tries to force a smile from David.

1st Class: Geraldine attempts to tell Alice a joke over a cup of tea in the vestry.

1st Class: An unsuspecting Geraldine jumps into a very deep puddle.

£1.00: Frank and Owen perform in the Dibley Christmas show.

£1.00: To avoid waking Alice and Hugo’s baby, Jim writes his characteristic response to a question on a flash card.

£2.80: Geraldine samples one of Letitia’s unusual sandwich creations.

£2.80: Geraldine performs a ballet duet with Dame Darcey Bussell.

The collectibles include a Collectors Sheet (above, £17.10 or framed £39.99), various first day covers with either the Tallent House or Turville, Henley-on-Thames postmarks (below, 8 stamps, £15.80, or minisheet, £8.60), a press sheet and various configurations of sheets of stamps.