Prince George is the star of a new commemorative stamp released by Royal Mail to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday. The two-year-old holds hands with his father Prince William in the family portrait, which also features the Queen and Prince Charles to showcase four generations of the House of Windsor.
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 wore in the first official portraits of himself and Princess Charlotte.
Prince George stars in a new stamp to commemorate the Queen's 90th birthday
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.
GALLERY: PRINCE GEORGE'S CUTEST MOMENTS
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 asked to stand on four blocks to ensure he was at the right place within the frame.
George was asked to stand on foam blocks to ensure he was the right height
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 QUEEN: 90 YEARS OF MAGIC AND MAJESTY
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.
A further six commemorative stamps have been released
The further three stamps focus on the Queen's official duties, with one showing her alongside Nelson Mandela. The images represent her roles as Head of State, Head of the Commonwealth and the 100+ state visits made worldwide by the monarch since her accession.
On Wednesday the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will visit the Royal Mail Windsor delivery office in Windsor to mark the 500th anniversary of the Postal Service. Her Majesty will be presented with a limited edition 90 framed set that brings together stamps issued to mark significant achievements over her record-breaking reign.
The stamps are available to pre-order from Wednesday at royalmail.com/hmq90 and available to purchase from 8,000 Post Offices from 21 April.
