Off with her head!
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In the mid 1960s there was a revolution in British stamp design. Tony Benn was appointed Postmaster General in 1964 and one of his first actions was to change and expand the criteria for issuing commemorative stamps. He invited ideas from the public and stamp designers.
The artist David Gentleman responded with many ideas for new stamp subjects and designs. His most dramatic suggestion was that the Queen’s head might be omitted. The three-quarter Wilding portrait was difficult to fit into a larger stamp; Gentleman wanted to have a profile portrait, preferably small, or no Queen’s head at all.
Benn was captivated by Gentleman's ideas. Various options were considered during 1965 to reduce the Queen’s head in size or replace it with wording such as GREAT BRITAIN or U.K. POSTAGE (in line with stamps from other countries).
At Benn’s insistence Gentleman’s designs for the Battle of Britain and Sir Winston Churchill memorial issues were also essayed without the Queen’s head. Artists’ instructions for the Robert Burns issue allowed other designers to submit similar non-traditional versions. At the same time Benn commissioned an album of experimental designs from Gentleman and work proceeded on a new profile head of The Queen.
At an audience in November 1965 The Queen informed the prime minister Harold Wilson that she still wanted her head to appear on all stamps, but would approve the use of a silhouette format.
