William Shakespeare: New Royal Mail stamps celebrate 400th anniversary of playwright's death

The stamps feature famous phrases from plays such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet

Royal Mail is paying tribute to the power of Shakespeare's language (Getty Images)

William Shakespeare will be honoured with a new set of stamps to mark the 400th anniversary of his death.

Royal Mail is publishing ten first class stamps featuring famous phrases from the playwright’s repertoire to mark the impact his writing still makes today.

Lines from Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, Much Ado About Nothing and Hamlet are included in the new collection, while a special postmark showing the dates of Shakespeare’s life will appear on letters as part of the commemoration this week.

“It is fitting that Shakespeare is being honoured with a set of stamps to mark the 400th anniversary of his death,” said Philip Parker from Royal Mail. “The stamps celebrate the power of his language which continues to influence us every day.”

Shakespeare is believed to have died on his birthday, 23 April, in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616. Cultural institutions across Britain are planning an exciting array of productions, events to pay tribute to the Bard, including a huge performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream from the Royal Shakespeare Company with a cast of nearly 700.

The BFI is launching its largest Shakespeare on film programme to date and the Queen will display treasures relating to the royal family’s admiration for Shakespeare at Windsor Castle.