Royal Mail unveils King’s stamp - but it has a big difference from the Queen’s, where’s his crown?

King Charles III stamps have been revealed by the Royal Mail but unlike his late mother the design of both his stamps and coins lack a royal crown amid other key differences.

David Gold, the Royal Mail's director of external affairs, said: "The feedback we got back was that he wanted it to be simple," referring to the design update.

The Royal Mail has unveiled the image of their first and second class stamps depicting King Charles III following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. They show King Charles in profile looking to the left and it features some continuity in its motifs like that of Queen Elizabeth II’s designs e.g., background colours like plum purple for first class or holly green for second.

However, the public has noticed that unlike his late mother or even the Penny Black stamp for Queen Victoria in 1840, this new stamp depicts Charles without a crown, a choice personally approved by the king himself according to the BBC.

So, when will King Charles stamps be released, why is he not wearing a crown in them, and what other design changes feature in his stamps and coins?

When will King Charles stamps be issued?

The Royal Mail’s new stamps featuring King Charles III went on display at the Postal Museum in central London on February 7. The exhibit revealed the image that will be used on first and second class stamps which are expected to go on sale from April 4.

Why is King Charles not wearing a crown?

King Charles is the first monarch to not wear a crown on his stamp as per his own decision to abdicate from any royal regalia. His coins share this design but as the Royal Central reports “British kings are known not to wear crowns on coins that feature their portraits” but they do on their stamps just as King George VI did, Britain’s last male monarch.

One of the first sheets of the 1st class definitive stamp featuring King Charles III is unveiled as it goes on display at the Postal Museum in central London, before they enter circulation later this year.

David Gold, the director of external affairs at the Royal Mail, said in a statement: “"The feedback we got back (from Charles) was that he wanted it to be simple. It's a very human image, with no embellishment."

Some suspect that the king isn’t wearing a crown as it would be in violation of the tradition that stipulates monarchs not wear a crown (including St Edward’s or the Imperial State crown) until their coronation has taken place.

All About Stamps reports that Queen Elizabeth II featured on over eighty stamps during her reign, so there is the possibility for the king to update the design following his coronation on May 6.

What else is different about King Charles' image?

The royal tradition of the current British monarch facing their predecessor dates back to the 1660s.

The new stamps only show the king’s head along with price and a barcode. Aside from the lack of a crown, it was also noted that his design is devoid of any other royal symbols, unlike past British monarchs who would be shown with a crown (or diadem) and other markers of their royalty.

Many people have also asked why King Charles is facing left on the new coin, unlike his late mother who faces right. The new design is based on a sculpture of King Charles crafted by Martin Jennings who said: “He is in this instance looking to the left, his mother looked to the right. Every monarch will be looking in opposite directions to their predecessor.”

This is a royal tradition that dates back to the 1660s in which the monarch will always face their predecessor.