Coinciding with the release of details about the first issue of the year, Royal Mail have set out the programme for the first half of 2026. As last year, they have withheld details about the second half, even from cover producers who have to do a lot of research before they can start printing designs and sponsoring handstamps.
Full details of the first issue will not be published here until the embargo date of 6 January but as Royal Mail's website includes this detail, I see no reason not to share the first six months' issues with you now. Updated 20 April with most of the rest of the programme.
Thank you to the dozen or so readers here and on Stampboards who contributed over 70 suggestions, some of them frivolous (like the set that kicked off 'reader suggestions' many years ago), many others very unlikely, but some notable anniversaries and other worthy suggestions for which we will have to await the full programme to find out whether they match.
As with previous years, there will be many stamp issues that no-one came anywhere near guessing and some that even when they are issued we will not really understand Royal Mail's justification.
Suggestions which I don't think will make it into the second half of the programme - Centenary of the General Strike, 75th year of Europa, 50th Anniversary of Dolly the Sheep, 150th anniversary of the Bell Telephone, The Archers (long-running BBC radio soap), Birth or Death Anniversaries of Agatha Christie (although that would be an easy option as there is already a precedent for using her material), Benjamin Britten, John Constable, Henry Blogg and David Beckham.
Other subjects which stand a reasonable chance: The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 300th Anniversary of Fire Brigades, The King Charles Coastal Path, London Zoo.
Thematic subjects suggested were: Theatre Buildings* - which could incorporate the National Theatre, the Royal Ballet, Royal Opera, and Royal Opera House all of which have anniversaries in 2026. Music Giants were not given much chance, although Swedish group Abba, Freddie Mercury himself, Genesis, Gorillaz, Joy Division, Led Zeppelin, and Oasis all got a mention. Trees were suggested both for themselves and for the National Arboretum (linking in with Remembrance), Christmas Trees at landmarks, and the Peak District National Park. *If this comes about then the person who suggested Architecture might be in contention too!
Suggestions which might be deemed frivolous - but about which picture books have been published - include Solar power, Trademarks, and Wheelie Bins.
I think one of the problems with trying to predict is trying to remember what has happened in the not too distant past when, maybe, we took less interest in new issues. Thus the 60th anniversary of Star Trek when that has been done to death anyway, Centenary of Winnie The Pooh ditto (although having the agreement with Disney for earlier issues might sway things), and the National Arboretum was the subject of a Commemorative Sheet.
Anyway, for the time being, this is what we know. My intention always is to add links to this table when the details of the issue appear in their own post, but sadly that rarely happens. I don't mind if you nudge me, by email.
This table has already been amended since my first draft because dates have changed and the order of some issues has been revised since we were first told. So don't expect this to be the final even for the first half. I've no idea when we will be able to add all the July-December details but most of the second half of the year has now been added.
UPDATE24 July: Thank you to readers for pointing out that the 29th September issue has been postponed until 1st December. This means only one issue in July, August, September, October, but two in November and one in December - two after the Christmas issue! Of course the need to keep the pre-Christmas period clear doesn't matter as much now because most Post Office branches are not rushed off their feet satisfying collectors, and those that don't stock special stamps won't be affected anyway.
UPDATE 16 September - the programme for the rest of the year has now been announced. Just a few more links to add when the time comes.
Links in the table are to the main blogposts for the issue.
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13th January |
Stranger Things (Neflix series) Blockbuster issue with all sorts of extras  |
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21st January |
Concorde supersonic airliner 8 x 1st, 4 x 1st MS |
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19th February |
 |
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26th February |
Roses - 50th Anniversary of the first set of stamps dedicated to this flower, which was issued on the centenary of the Royal National Rose Society  |
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20th March |
Lord of The Rings. Another blockbuster issue with all sorts of extras  |
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26th March |
 |
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21st April |
Centenary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II 8 x 1st, 4 x 1st MS, PSB  |
21st May |
Castles - these, or new ones? As it turns out, some old, some new.   |
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23rd June |
Waterfalls 5 x 1st, 5 x 2nd  |
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9 July | Moths 5 x 1st, 5 x 2nd  Elephant Hawk Moth 2020 |
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30 July |
Military Jet Aircraft 8 x 1st and 4 x 1st miniature sheet  Avro Vulcan issued in 2018 |
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20 August |
 Dog issued 2024 |
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17 September |
 By Tendai - https://www.flickr.com/photos/45624184@N00/18523842/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11877728 |
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29 September |
Postponed until 1 December |
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14 October |
Winnie the Pooh Centenary  Winnie the Pooh from the 2010 set |
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3rd November |
Christmas |
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11 November |
Remembrance  Poppy issued 2008 |
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1 December |
Football - Season 1  Football from the pre-Olympics 2012 set. |
