|
Queen Elizabeth II on Postage Stamps
The most portrayed person of all time is Queen Elizabeth II. Of the tens of thousands of stamps issued in the British Commonwealth since her accession of 6th February, 1952, some eight thousand had borne her portrait by the end of 1981. Britain (including regionals) has contributed 774 – every postage stamp bearing a portrait or effigy of the Queen. Next in descending order of loyalty are Antigua (258), Bermuda (232), British Virgin Islands (227), Fiji (224), Solomon Islands (222), Jersey (216), Guernsey (215) and Tristan da Cunha (209).
Prior to her accession, Queen Elizabeth was portrayed on twenty-eight stamps from eleven Commonwealth countries. Newfoundland was the first to portray her as a six year old princess (6c, 1932). New Zealand portrayed her as a princess on four occasions between 1943 and 1950, a total of six stamps (including the only triangle bearing her portrait). Canada (4c, 1951) was the only country to portray her as Duchess of Edinburgh. Australia, Canada and Newfoundland alone issued stamps for her twenty-first birthday and/or wedding, and Malta honoured her stay on the island when Prince Phillip was stationed there with the Mediterranean Fleet in 1950. The Queen has also been portrayed on stamps of several non-Commonwealth countries including two from Iran (1961), three from Ethiopia (1965), two from Togo (1977) and one each from Brazil (1968), Comoro (1977) and Bhutan (1978) – plus an incalculable number from the sheikdoms of the Arabian Gulf during the short but highly prolific period 1967 – 1972.
No living person, other than members of the Royal Family, has been portrayed on a British stamp. The nearest to this, however, was the 1s6d stamp of 1967 honouring the world voyage of Sir Francis Chichester. The first person, other than royalty, to appear on a British stamp was William Shakespeare in 1964.
|
