Prince George ‘played sheep in school nativity’

Prince George stars on his first Royal Mail stamp

20 April

What do Professor Dumbledore, Darth Vader and Prince George have in common? As of now, they've all appeared on a Royal Mail stamp.

The young royal features prominently in a commemorative four-stamp sheet depicting the Queen alongside her three direct heirs: the Prince of Wales, George and his father, the Duke of Cambridge.

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To keep the heads of all four royals, each of which is its own stamp, roughly aligned on the sheet, the two-year-old had to stand on a stack of foam boxes, the BBC reports. The experience appears to have amused the Prince, who seems to be giggling in a behind-the-scene photo showing him balanced on the stack.

Prince George balances on a pile of foam blocks for the photo (Ranald Mackechnie/Royal Mail)

London-based photographer Ranald Mackechnie, who took the images, described the toddler as "absolutely charming" and said he was on his best behaviour during the shoot.

"He was fascinated by my lights and all the kit and he was quite happy standing on the blocks," the snapper told the Daily Telegraph.

The relaxed royals "behaved like any family", he added.

"It's great just to be asked to photograph a stamp, never mind four generations of the royal family. When I was asked about it, I was ecstatic but I had to keep schtum for 18 months," he added, admitting he had not even told his wife about his special assignment.

The stamps are part of a ten-piece set released to mark the Queen's 90th birthday and available to purchase from post offices and online from 21 April.