Four generations star on Royal Mail stamp

Prince George may be the youngest in a historic union of four generations of the House of Windsor, but the two-year-old definitely stole the show as star of a new commemorative stamp released by Royal Mail to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. The royal tot holds hands with his father Prince William in the family portrait, which also features the Queen and Prince Charles.

The image was taken in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace in summer 2015 by photographer Ranald Mackenhie. It sees the senior royals all dressed in co-ordinating tones of blue and white, with George wearing the same long-sleeved white shirt and blue shorts he sported in the first official portraits of himself and Princess Charlotte.

The family may look picture-perfect, but it has been revealed that there were a lot of factors to consider in the planning of the photoshoot, including which room within the Palace would offer the most suitable backdrop.

Prince George’s height was also taken into consideration, and a behind-the-scenes photo from the shoot reveals that the third-in-line to the throne was forced to stand on four blocks to ensure he was at the right place within the frame.

A further six special stamps have been issued, with three focusing on Her Majesty’s family life, and three honouring the Queen’s official role.

The family stamps include an image of the Queen with a young Prince Charles and Princess Anne, while another shows her alongside her husband the Duke of Edinburgh. The third sees a young Princess Elizabeth alongside her father King George VI – marking the first time Royal Mail has issued a stamp featuring the Queen with her father.