The first stamps featuring the King’s silhouette go on sale in March – a historic moment after the Queen featured on them for nearly six decades.

Charles makes his debut on a collection of 10 special stamps celebrating the nation’s favourite flowers.

His uncrowned profile is seen in the top left corner without a laurel wreath, unlike the Queen’s.

It is a significant milestone in British philatelic history as Her Majesty’s silhouette has featured on special stamps since 1966.

The final set of special stamps featuring the Queen was revealed in February and celebrated the 100th anniversary of steam locomotive the Flying Scotsman.

The new set is a nod to Charles’ love of gardening and also honours his mother by featuring the delicate sweet pea – one of her favourite blooms.

Another stamp shows the sunflower – the national flower of Ukraine which has become a symbol of solidarity with the war-torn country.

The other flowers in the first class set are a purple iris, a pink lily, a fuchsia, an orange-red tulip, a dark pink peony, a bright orange nasturtium, a pale pink rose and a light purple-tinted dahlia.

The creation of the King’s silhouette was a collaboration between The Iron Man illustrator Andrew Davidson, Royal Mail’s head of design and editorial and Marcus James, and Ian Chilvers, from design agency Atelier Works.

David Gold, Royal Mail’s director of external affairs and policy, said: ‘Britain is a nation of gardeners, and a love of flowers runs deep in our collective consciousness.

‘His Majesty is known to be a passionate gardener and we are delighted that the first special stamps to feature his silhouette should be a celebration of some of the most popular flowers in British gardens.’

Royal Mail and Atelier Works focused on visual adjustments and tests to ensure the silhouette would work at the tiny dimensions required.

The final image was adjusted to ensure a likeness to the King’s image on the definitive ‘everyday’ stamp.

The definitive stamps were unveiled last month and go on sale in April.

They show Charles’ head and neck – without a crown – traditionally facing left as all monarchs have done since the Penny Black in 1840.

The first class floral stamps are available to pre-order from March 14 at http://www.royalmail.com/flowers and on 03457 641 641.

A presentation pack of the 10 stamps goes on general sale from March 23 and are priced at £10.40.

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