Issue 6

Royal Mail stamps deliver heads of state for their first Kings and Queens series

Portrait of Henry VI (1421-71) by English School (16th century) /Philip Mould Ltd, London

The Battle of Agincourt, 1415, from the Vigil of Charles VII, c.1484 by Martial de Paris c.14484 / Bibltheque Nationale, Paris
A set of stamps celebrating the history of the British monarchy went on sale last week. The Houses of Lancaster & York are the first in the Royal Mail’s Kings and Queens annual series featuring royalty spanning six centuries.

The period between 1399 and 1485 was a period riven with social unrest, war in France and a dynastic quarrel between the Royal House of Lancaster and York known as the Wars of the Roses. Within the set, Bridgeman licensed images for the 54p stamp featuring Henry VI and the 1st class stamp of The Battle of Agincourt where English archers defeated a superior force of French knights in 1415.

Houses of Lancaster & York Miniature Sheet

Juliet Edgar, head of Special Stamps at Royal Mail, said: ‘I’m delighted that millions of people will now have the chance to build their very own portrait gallery featuring six centuries of British history, right up to the present day.”

Houses of Lancaster & York Presentation Pack

A set of stamps depicting monarchs from the House of Tudor will be released next year and it seems that the trials and tribulations of our former monarchs continue to remain very popular with the public. Evidence of this can be seen with the successful BBC TV series The Tudors last autumn, the high profile film Elizabeth:The Golden Age and the current blockbuster The Other Boleyn Girl; all productions which Bridgeman have supplied images to define the era for set dressing.

To order or for more information on these Royal Mail specialist stamps click here