Housed in St. James’s Palace, the Royal Philatelic Collection is said to be the world’s most comprehensive collection of postage stamps of Great Britain and the Commonwealth.

Starting in the early nineteenth century, the Collection was put together by Royal stamp enthusiasts. Key figures in its development were Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second son of Queen Victoria, and King George V, a keen stamp collector who built up a collection of world renown.

Later monarchs continued to preserve, develop and enjoy the Collection.  Today the Collection continues to grow. It receives stamps of the UK and many Commonwealth countries in mint blocks of four or six. Occasional purchases of rare historical items are also made to enhance the Collection further.

The strength of the Collection lies in its completeness, but there are many individual highlights. Special treasures include rare stamps from the earliest days of stamp usage in Great Britain in the period 1839-41, with stamp designs, proofs and colour trials, together with similar material from across the former British Empire and today’s Commonwealth.
 
It is impossible to say how many stamps there are in the Collection, or to put a value on it. The Royal Philatelic Collection has never been counted in terms of total stamp numbers. It is also difficult to value the collection as it contains unique items (including drawings and proofs) for which the market has never been tested.

Unlike the Crown Jewels and the Royal residences, the Royal Philatelic Collection is privately owned by The Queen, rather than belonging to the nation. Her Majesty does give permission for selections from the Collection to be shown at major exhibitions internationally and in the UK.