The late Queen Elizabeth’s 1967 postage stamp portrait is one of the most recognised images of all time, but the BBC show exposed a hidden detail
An Antiques Roadshow guest revealed a hidden detail about everyday items that many people might not be aware of.
The late Queen Elizabeth‘s profile on the original 1967 postage stamp ranks among the most recognisable images ever created, but it has emerged that the shoulders aren’t actually hers.
During Sunday’s (April 19) episode of the BBC hit show, the programme broadcast a royal special to commemorate 100 years since the Queen’s birth. Recorded at Windsor Castle, audiences were treated to a glimpse inside the Royal Collection, featuring personal belongings and treasured keepsakes.
However, there’s one detail about an item that might astonish viewers. Since Queen Victoria’s reign, the monarch’s head has featured on stamps and when Elizabeth ascended the throne, it was time for a royal update of stamps and currency, reports the Express.
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But a set of stamps created in 1967 became the most iconic. Antiques Roadshow specialist Alexander Gill encountered two sisters who revealed a secret about their mother, Angela Hewins, and her link to the design.
Artist Arnold Machin received the commission to create the new stamp in 1967 and initially the design ended at the neck, but the Palace requested that her shoulders be included as well.
Rather than arranging another sitting, Angela, a family friend, volunteered for her shoulders to be used for the iconic portrait. She posed at her mum’s house with some old curtains draped round her shoulders.
One of her daughters explained: “The first design that he did was of the Queen’s head, stopping at the neck and the feedback from the Palace was that they wanted some shoulders, as well.”
She continued: “Obviously Queens are busy people and anybody’s shoulders would have done and mum was available. So the shoulders of the Queen on the stamp are actually the shoulders of our mother.”
Alexander jumped in: “That’s absolutely fantastic, isn’t it. In the stamp she’s got a kind of dress, just on the corners of her shoulders doesn’t she.”
Angela’s daughter replied: “Yes, so my mother modelled at my grandmother’s house and she produced a pair of old curtains and Arnold draped them around her shoulders.”
Pointing at the stamp, Alexander said: “And what we see here is a final product. Machin was from Stoke-On-Trent and he worked for Crown Derby and he worked for Minton and he also worked for Wedgwood.”
She continued: “I can see a wonderful correlation here between the Wedgwood cameos and the image that we have here.”
Antiques Roadshow is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
