Monarchy in New Zealand has a long history and dates back from the early 19th century. According to the Constitution Act from 1986, the Queen, the Sovereign in right of New Zealand is actually the Head of State. This is one of the reasons why the New Zealand Post has recently revealed a set of stamps dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II. The inspiration was found in the fact that Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch in the history of New Zealand….and of the UK for that matter!
This unique set of stamps depicts the Queen’s appearance in different decades during her reign when she visited New Zealand. Queen Elizabeth II has visited this country 10 times since her inaugural tour that took place in 1953 and 1954. The Queen has shown great interest in New Zealand and although her last visit was 13 years ago, it is hoped that she will get a chance to visit New Zealand at least one more time. Meanwhile, she asked the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to visit New Zealand in 2014 on her behalf. They have visited New Zealand together with their son – Prince George of Cambridge.
It is worth mentioning that in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was officially named as the Queen of New Zealand. This was the first time for a Sovereign to get a title like this. It is also interesting to note that before Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria was the British monarch that reigned with New Zealand for the longest period of time.
There is a total of seven stamps in this exclusive set and they are worth between 80 cents and 3 new Zealand dollars. These stamps will surely be a great addition to any philatelist’s collection of stamps and the Queen, no doubt, is pleased to have been commemorated in this way.