Queen's Birthday 2019

Overview

On 21 April 2019, Her Majesty the Queen will celebrate her 93rd birthday.

The stamps in this year’s annual Queen’s birthday stamp issue show Her Majesty at two recent public events: during a trip to West Sussex in late 2017 and during a Royal Air Force (RAF) centenary flypast in July 2018. In both stamp photographs she is wearing a diamond brooch known as the Jardine Star brooch. Given to Her Majesty in 1981, this late Victorian brooch takes its name from Lady Jardine, who bequeathed it to her.

The eight rays of the star are each separated by a single collet diamond, and the large central stone is surrounded by smaller diamonds. Although in recent years the Queen has worn this brooch on several occasions, suggesting great affection for it, little information is known about this piece, including with regards to Lady Jardine (there have been more than one such named baronetess). Nor are the identities of the designer and maker of the brooch known.

Technical specifications

Issue date: 9-April-2019
Issue withdrawal date: 31-October-2019
Denomination: 1 x $1, 1 x $3 (international)
Stamp design: Simone Sakinofsky, Australia Post Design Studio
Product design: Simone Sakinofsky, Australia Post Design Studio
Paper: gummed: Tullis Russell
Paper: self-adhesive: Securepost MC90
Printer: RA Printing
Printing process: Offset lithography
Stamp size (mm): 26 x 37.5
Minisheet size (mm): 125 x 70
Perforations: 13.86 x 14.6
Sheet layout: Module of 50
FDI Postmark: Elizabeth, SA 5122
FDI withdrawal date: 8-May-2019

Stamps in this issue

$1 - Queen Elizabeth II at Chichester Festival Theatre

The Queen is shown attending the Chichester Festival Theatre while visiting West Sussex on 30 November 2017. She watched a performance by 70 members of the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre before two songs were performed from Fiddler on the Roof. The photograph is by Stuart C. Wilson, via Getty Images.

$3 - Queen Elizabeth II observing the RAF flypast

The Queen watches the RAF flypast, with members of the royal family, from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on 10 July 2018. The flypast, which comprised close to 100 aircraft associated with the RAF over its history, was one of several events staged to mark the centenary of the RAF. The photograph is by Chris Jackson, via Getty Images.