Stamps mark 60th anniversary of Queen's coronation

Nicky Philipps's portrait was commissioned by the Royal Mail

Royal Mail has released a set of stamps, featuring six portraits of the Queen, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of her coronation.

The set includes a painting specially commissioned by Royal Mail.

It was painted by Nicky Philipps following sittings in Buckingham Palace last year. The artist also painted a double portrait of Princes William and Harry in 2009.

Royal Mail is gifting the portrait to the Royal Collection.

Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene said: "Royal Mail is proud to mark the occasion of Her Majesty The Queen's coronation by commissioning a painted portrait. This is the first time in our history we have done so.

"The Queen's image is one of the most recognisable in the world and we are delighted to bring this portrait, along with five others, together in a special stamp set to mark the 60th anniversary of her coronation."

The other portraits span the length of the monarch's reign.

They are the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II by Terence Cuneo in 1953, a portrait by Andrew Festing in 1999, a portrait by Pietro Annigoni in 1955, a portrait by Sergei Pavlenko in 2000 and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Richard Stone from 1992.

Stamps depicting the Queen are not required to carry the small silhouette of her, which appears in the top corner of all other stamps.

The six special issue stamps will be available from 30 May.