Royal Mail pursuing new identity with King Charles on the throne as latest move marks ‘end of Elizabethan era’

The release of commemorative stamps to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday symbolises the “end of the Elizabethan era”, experts have claimed, as they remain divided over whether King Charles III’s stamps can ever carry the same cultural weight. David Gold, Director of External Affairs & Policy at Royal Mail, exclusively told GB News that the centenary set was designed to take the public “on a journey” through the late monarch’s life, with images spanning from childhood to her decades of public service. He told the People's Channel: “It’s difficult when you’ve got somebody who lived over nine decades to try to pick just one moment,” explaining Royal Mail decided to structure the collection as “one stamp per decade”. Mr Gold added: “The Queen was celebrated for the fact that she had a love of corgis, which was known to everybody, and, of course, her adoration for horses. She was a horse owner, so we just thought that was an angle that hadn't yet been explored in our stamps depicting her.” Stories Videos Your Say Many Britons have told Royal Mail that they miss seeing Queen Elizabeth II on stamps, “because we've all grown up really not knowing anything else but the Queen until fairly recently,” Mr Gold claimed. He added: “I hope people in the future, when they look at these stamps, and those who were familiar with Her Late Majesty, will hopefully be reminded of just how much we've lost. “When I think about the transition from the late Queen to the current King, how much actually changed, because, of course, the image of the Queen on our day-to-day stamps, what we call the definitive stamps, had probably become one of the most reproduced artworks in the world. Literally billions and billions of those stamps... and suddenly we stopped producing those. “Now, of course, we're getting used to the image of His Majesty on those stamps, but it's also the Crown that is part of Royal Mail. We changed that to reflect the fact that His Majesty wore a different crown at the Coronation. One of the centenary stamps showing Queen Elizabeth II visiting Treherbert, Wales in April 1989 | TIM GRAHAM PHOTO LIBRARY VIA GETTY IMAGES “So our identity as a company has changed quite significantly. And slowly but surely, people are starting to see new post boxes arrive in their streets as well. They carry the king's cypher rather than Her Late Majesty's. So bit by bit, the change is happening, and Royal Mail's identity is moving with that. “For many people who collect stamps, they said, 'I'll carry on collecting stamps until the Queen is no longer.' They've got very thick volumes of stamps if they did that! Now, people will probably look at these stamps and say that is the end of the Elizabethan era. So for that reason, they'll be significant. The value is in their historic significance and in the reflection of an incredible life given to the service of the nation and the Commonwealth.” For many collectors, however, the shift from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III represents the end of a cultural era. Kayleigh Davies, an Antiques & Collectables Specialist at the online marketplace Auctionet, told GB News: “Queen Elizabeth II stamps have something Charles III stamps can't replicate: they were part of everyday life. Even those with little interest in stamps grew up buying books of stamps from the Post Office and receiving birthday cards with stamps on. A letter carrying a stamp, depicting the head of King Charles III, in 2024 | GETTY “However, I can't remember the last time I used a real stamp; the letters I receive are franked, and the parcels I send have printed labels. Nostalgia is a big driver of the collector market, and as Charles III stamps are arriving as collector objects from the outset, instead of just background to daily life, they're very different propositions.” Ms Davies added: “Generations growing up now don't have the same emotional relationship with stamps to build on. In my opinion, this generational shift means that Queen Elizabeth II is the more significant monarch for the collector market as she's the last monarch whose stamps had reach beyond enthusiasts. “In the broader collectables market, we see time and time again that the items sold as collector's items are really popular in their own time, but they rarely survive the generational handover. It's the things people actually used, loved and then lost that become significant to the next generation of collectors.” Gareth Wasp, Head Auctioneer at RWB Auctions, offered a different view. He said: “Many philatelists are particularly interested in older stamps that are no longer in circulation. Commemorative releases, such as those marking what would have been the Queen’s 100th birthday, will certainly attract attention, but we’re not currently seeing them command significant prices at auction or on resale platforms. “King Charles III stamps are still finding their place in the market. At the moment, they are more about marking a moment in royal history than immediate value, but that could change over time. If we see a wider resurgence in stamp collecting, demand and prices may well follow.” Commenting on whether the centenary stamps mark the end of the Elizabethan era, Mr Wasp said: “It sounds like these stamps will be the last to feature Queen Elizabeth II for now, while Royal Mail focuses on other themes and topics. “However, it would not surprise me if we saw more royal stamps issued in the future for important royal events, such as the 75th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation in 2028.” Emma Moores, the owner of Cotswold & Stuart Covers Ltd, one of the UK’s oldest stamp-collecting businesses, contextualised the history of the hobby for the People's Channel. A stamp showing Queen Elizabeth Il at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 1997 | TIM GRAHAM PHOTO LIBRARY VIA GETTY IMAGES She said: “Stamp collecting itself reached a peak in popularity during the early decades of the late Queen's reign, particularly in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. “Over that time, her profile became one of the most recognisable images in the world, appearing in many variations across stamps. In that sense, her influence on stamp collecting is undeniable. “The stamps issued during the reign of King Charles III may, over time, become comparatively rarer. Given that his reign is likely to be shorter, fewer designs and issues may be produced, potentially increasing their long-term value. “The evolution of stamp collecting today reflects broader societal changes rather than the impact of the monarchy. Modern collectors are often more drawn to specific themes or subjects that interest them, whether that’s films, sport or cultural events, for example.”