Prince George smiles for first stamp photo with ‘Gan-gan’ Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Prince William

Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince George and Prince William Royal Mail/Ranald Mackechnie

It’s four generations of UK royalty in one photo. Prince George looks adorable as he smiles for his first stamp photo with dad Prince William, grandfather Prince Charles, and his “gan-gan,” Queen Elizabeth II.

The photo, the 2-year-old future king’s first appearance on a stamp, was released by the Royal Mail two days before Her Majesty celebrates her 90^th birthday on Thursday. It features George showing off his charming grin as he stands on a block and holds his father’s hand. He stands next to the sitting William and Elizabeth, his grand-grandmother whom he calls gan-gan.

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Photographer Ranald Mackechnie, who shot the top secret photoshoot with the Queen and her direct heirs last year, described the toddler as “absolutely charming.”

“You only have a short window of opportunity with small children, but Prince George was on good form and everyone seemed to enjoy seeing him enjoy the day,” he told the Telegraph. “He was fascinated by my lights and all the kit, and he was quite happy standing on the blocks. I took maybe 80 or 100 shots, but when I saw this one I knew straightaway that was it.”

Each of the royals’ head in the group photo would also be used for individual stamps so it was imperative that Mackechnie got everyone’s distance and size right. The Buckingham Palace sent him George’s exact height so he could work out in advance how to get George’s face a similar height to the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge. The photographer bought the blocks for George to stand on, and even bought extra in case the child had grown a few more inches.

The photo is part of the limited edition stamps commissioned by the Royal Mail ahead of the Queen’s 90^th birthday on Thursday. The commemorative stamps include photos of the Queen in her public and private roles over the past 90 years.