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Shakespeare was the first non-royal person to appear on a UK postage stamp in 1964. The Royal Mail later honored other famous Britons with commemorative stamps, but until 2005, living people who were not members of the royal family were not featured.
More than four centuries after his death, William Shakespeare remains one of the most famous figures in British history. He has been the subject of countless biographies and his plays are a staple of English curricula around the world. Despite his ‘common’ birth, Shakespeare’s legacy rivals that of many British kings and queens, so perhaps it was to be expected that in 1964 William Shakespeare would become the first non-royal person to appear on a UK postage stamp. To mark the 400th anniversary of his birth, the Royal Mail issued a set of four stamps which included a portrait of Shakespeare alongside scenes from plays such as Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night. The likeness of Queen Elizabeth II was of course also included, although this caused some controversy as Shakespeare’s head looked larger than the Queen’s on the stamps. However, the monarch said she was pleased with them, admitting they were “stunning and of high quality”.
Putting their stamp on history:
In the following decades, the Royal Mail honored other famous Britons, such as John Lennon, Robert Burns and Charles Darwin, with commemorative postage stamps, albeit always posthumous.
Indeed, until 2005, it was official Royal Mail policy not to show the likenesses of living people who were not members of the royal family on stamps.
The rule was finally relaxed when England defeated Australia in the 2005 Ashes cricket series and the faces of team members were clearly featured on a set of four stamps.
