Cheeky Prince George Steals The Show In Picture With Queen For New Royal Stamp
Prince George looks delighted to be a part of his first Royal Mail postage stamp - beaming gloriously as he poses with four generations of the House of Windsor.
The cheeky two-year-old - wearing a smart white Rachel Riley shirt with blue piping - is seen balancing on some foam blocks, holding dad William’s hands just in case he falls to the floor.
Looking perfectly at ease in the shot, the future king is also standing next to The Queen and Prince Charles for the shot by photographer Ronald Mackechnie, who captured the moment at Buckingham Palace in summer 2015.
The group family photograph appears as a stamp sheet - with perforations positioned to create a first class stamp for each of the four royals.
Mackechnie had the challenge of ensuring the royals’ heads were all roughly the same height for technical reasons - but toddler George was too short when stood next to his seated relatives.
He came up with a clever solution - four high density foam blocks, stacked together and secured by tape.
Portraits: The royal faces will feature on a new stamp collection (PA)
After being given George’s rough heigh measurements, the photographer and his team spent two half days setting up test shoots beforehand with the blocks, which form part of his kit, before the final shoot
Mackechnie, 55, described the royals as “amazingly relaxed” and said George’s joy and energy was fantastic.
He said: ”It’s great just to be asked to photograph a stamp, never mind four generations of the royal family. When I was asked about I was ecstatic but I had to keep schtum for 18 months.
“It was an amazingly relaxing and light-hearted sitting. They were comfortable with one another and behaved like any family with their conversation and jokes. It was much more relaxed than when I’ve tried to take pictures with my family.
"The joy and energy coming out of George was fantastic. It lifted the whole shot and lifted the afternoon.
“He was on top form. He was quite fascinated by the lights. He took it all in his stride.”
Commemorative: Six stamps have been released for the Queen’s 90th birthday (PA)
The stamps have been unveiled on the day the Queen visits a Royal Mail delivery office in Windsor, beginning her public birthday celebrations ahead of her actual 90th on Thursday.
Six further stamps have been released for the head of state’s 90th birthday - three focusing on the Queen’s family life and three honouring her official role.
They show the Queen: as a young Princess Elizabeth with her father then the Duke of York in around 1930; attending the State Opening of Parliament in 2012; with Princess Anne and Prince Charles in 1952; visiting New Zealand in 1977; with the Duke of Edinburgh in 1957; and riding in an open top carriage with Nelson Mandela in 1996.
It is the first time the Royal Mail has issued a stamp featuring the Queen and her father, who went on to become George VI.
The stamps are available to pre-order from Wednesday April 20 at www.royalmail.com/hmq90 and can be bought Post Offices from Thursday April 21.
Top pic: PA
