The following is a press release from the Isle of Man Post Office. For more information, visit their website.
Celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II
Issue date: 6th February 2022
In recognition of this historic occasion, the Isle of Man Post Office is honoured to present a set of eight stamps drawing inspiration from the words of the national anthem God Save the Queen at the time the Nation, Commonwealth, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories come together to pay tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee.
Lady Colin Campbell writes…
To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of the Lord of Mann, otherwise known as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Isle of Man is issuing nine magnificent commemorative stamps with the theme of the national anthem.
The Queen's reign has both been long and momentous, her accession in 1952 taking place in the mid-point of a century which had started in the horse and buggy age and would end after space travel, the creation of the internet and the digital age were firmly established as everyday occurrences. Never before in the history of humanity have there been such accelerated developments, nor has society progressed so rapidly, with each invention falling fast upon the heels of the other. It is a testament to the steadfastness, integrity and flexibility of The Queen that she has, throughout these massive changes, managed to remain both relevant and the embodiment of all that is good in society as a whole.
The images selected as representative of Her Majesty's reign do indeed convey both its longevity and its tremendous scope. The words “God save our gracious Queen” are rightly emblazoned across the stamp where the young monarch is portrayed in archetypal regal glamour, King George IV's diamond and pearl State Diadem (which is now only ever worn by queens) offset by magnificent jewels and evening gown, across which is the blue riband of the Order of the Garter, founded in 1384 by her many-times great-grandfather King Edward III. Carrying through on the traditional theme of historic splendour, the stamp bearing the words “Long live our noble Queen” portrays Elizabeth II, wearing the Imperial State Crown, in the Gold State Coach on her way to her coronation in 1953.
In sharp contrast, the stamp bearing the words “God save the Queen” portrays a dog-loving countrywoman, still in her twenties, whose down-to-earth qualities would carry her through an often tumultuous period in history, with the result that she is now acknowledged as the most respected head of state in the world.
The stamp with the words “Send her victorious” shows the talented equestrienne, who invariably rode side-saddle on her beloved Burmese, a mare gifted to her by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police during the Trooping of the Colour, an event that has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign for over 260 years.
“Happy and glorious” provides an image of the monarch as we all know her to be: smiling, elegant, the living embodiment of majesty with a human face, while “Long to reign over us” conveys the sombre side of royal duty as the image captures the Queen honouring the Fallen at The Cenotaph on Remembrance Day.
“May she defend our laws” addresses one of the Sovereign's most important duties, for she is indeed the guardian of our liberties and all laws are in her name. This particular image is captured at the Tynwald Ceremony in 2003 when Her Majesty presided as Lord of Mann. The last stamp in the series has the simple but profound sentiment, “God save the Queen”, and captures our beloved head of state in all her colourful, elegant and gracious simplicity.
Royal author Lady Colin Campbell, known to the British public by the moniker “Lady C” since her acclaimed stint on I'm A Celebrity....Get Me Out of Here resulted in her becoming the most Googled living individual in 2015. A popular and newsworthy public figure, she is called upon to commentate about the Royal Family all over the world, producing issue text for the 2020 Devoted To Your Service stamp issue. Lady C has featured on popular TV shows such as Celebs Go Dating, Through the Keyhole, Loose Women, This Morning and Good Morning Britain.
Paul Ratcliffe Royal Photographer
It is a great pleasure to feature the work of Paul Ratcliffe within this issue, whose imagery is used upon the “Happy and glorious” and “Long to reign over us” stamps. Paul has shared his photography with us for a long time and it’s a delight to be able to feature his work within this collection.
Paul writes…
“I’ve always loved the pomp and history associated with monarchy since I was a young child. Standing against the barriers for hours on a royal visit in all weathers! From pouring rain to sweltering heat. For a fleeting few seconds, capturing that royal moment on camera. I’ve been fortunate to meet many members of the Royal Family (particularly the Queen) and also present them with copies of photographs I’ve taken over the years. So many lovely memories to look back on.”
Acknowledgements
We wish to thank Lady Colin Campbell for providing commentary in celebration of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee and royal photographer Paul Ratcliffe who has kindly supplied two images for use in this set of stamps. Finally, we wish to thank Her Majesty the Queen for 70 years of devotion to the throne and her people.
Technical Specifications
Text: Lady Colin Campbell • Design: EJC Design • Printer: bPost • Process: Offset Lithography • Colours: 4 • Paper: 110gm PVA gummed • Perforations: 13 per 2cm • Stamp Size: 40mm x 40mm • No. of Stamps: 8 • Sheet Format: 10 • Date of Issue: 6th February 2022
Every effort has been made to trace or contact all copyright holders. Isle of Man Post Office will be pleased to make good any omissions or rectify any mistakes brought to their attention at the earliest opportunity.
Limited editions: Presentation Pack: 3500 First Day Cover: 4000