Together with the forthcoming stamps commemorating the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, Australia has produced three Royal Wedding stamp issues, which embrace three generations of the royal family.
On 20 November 1947, the marriage of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh was commemorated by a 1d (one penny) stamp featuring a portrait of Princess Elizabeth, based on a photograph by Dorothy Wilding of London. Although issued as a commemorative, the 1d stamp served as a definitive issue, remaining on sale at post offices until 1953.
In November 1980, Australia Post commenced preparations for a possible stamp issue to commemorate the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. The official announcement was made on 24 February 1981; the wedding was subsequently fixed for 29 July that year.
In addition to approving the 1981 Royal Wedding stamp issue, Australia Post management permitted a departure from the stamp issue policy to allow Lady Diana Spencer to be depicted on the stamps. The policy at the time precluded living persons from being portrayed on stamps except “The Sovereign and His or Her Spouse or the Heir Apparent”. The prohibition against living persons was removed with the introduction of the annual Australia Post Legends Awards in 1997.
Brian Clinton was commissioned to prepare the stamp designs. Interestingly, the artist produced painted portraits of Charles and Diana, rather than using actual photographs. The inscription on the two stamps reads “Marriage of HRH Charles, Prince of Wales & The Lady Diana Spencer”. Following her marriage, and until her divorce in 1996, Diana was styled “HRH The Princess of Wales”.
The Royal Wedding stamps were issued on 29 July 1981 in denominations of 24c and 60c, representing basic letter postage within Australia and the first weight step for air mail letters to Europe, respectively.
Source
1. “Royal Wedding Stamps”. Stamp Bulletin, Australia Post, Mar-Apr 2011. Pag. 18.
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