Look: 8 new stamps released in honour of Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee

Royal Mail has issued eight new stamps to mark the record reign of Queen Elizabeth II, who completes 70 years on the throne on Sunday, when several celebrations will begin across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and elsewhere.

The Queen acceded to the throne on February 6, 1952, at the age of 25, when her father, King George VI, passed away. Since then, she has overseen major changes in world history, and continues to be a symbol of stability, continuity and authority in a changing UK.

There have been 14 prime ministers of the United Kingdom during her reign, including the incumbent, Boris Johnson. She is also the head of state of 15 countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and several island-nations in the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean, and the head of the Commonwealth.

The eight stamps bear images from various points in her reign, from 1957 to 2020. The earliest one is in black and white.

Simon Thompson, chief executive of Royal Mail, said: “These stamps are a celebration of the second Elizabethan Age and a tribute to a remarkable lifetime of duty and public service. We are honoured to be releasing them to mark the occasion of the first Platinum Jubilee in the UK’s history, a momentous occasion.”

Special stamps were also issued during the Queen’s silver, golden and diamond Jubilees.

A clean design by Edward Roberts, a 19-year-old graphics design student from Nottinghamshire, has been chosen as the emblem to mark the jubilee, featuring a stylised crown and working in the number 70, with the round background appearing similar to a royal seal.

A large number of people across Britain, India, Pakistan and other Commonwealth countries have been preparing to celebrate the jubilee. The year also marks 75 years of India and Pakistan’s independence - Bollywood will reportedly make a big contribution during a 90-minute event in the grounds of the Windsor Castle at the end of the 2022 Royal Windsor Horse Show in May.

The jubilee's plans includes a special 50 pence coin by the Royal Mint and an extended 4-day bank holiday weekend from June 2 to 5, featuring the Trooping the Colour, the lighting of beacons in Britain and Commonwealth capitals, a Service of Thanksgiving, a concert, Platinum Pageant and nation-wide street parties.

Officials say activity will build in the run-up to the bank holiday weekend, “when the eyes of the world will turn to the UK”, when celebrations will feature an extensive programme of events that mix the best of British ceremonial splendour and pageantry with cutting edge artistic and technological displays. The plans also include a free children’s book on the Queen’s achievements over the last 70 years.

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The Queen became Britain’s longest reigning monarch on September 9, 2015, when she overtook her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria (Empress of India), who reigned for 63 years and seven months.

That record may not be her last: if she remains on the throne until mid-2024, she will become the longest-reigning European monarch of all time, eclipsing the 72 years and 110 days of Louis XIV of France.

• Europe