Artist Paul Kidby illustrates eight special stamps to celebrate Terry Pratchett’s Discworld

Released today, the eight special stamps feature some of Discworld's favourite characters including Rincewind, The Librarian, Granny Weatherwax, Sam Vimes, and Great A'Tuin, as well as specially commissioned artworks of Death and Mort, Tiffany Aching and Moist von Lipwig – all created by Terry Pratchet's illustrator of choice, Paul Kidby. They're available to pre-order from today and go on general sale on 10 August.

Sir Terry Pratchett is regarded as one of the UK's greatest fantasy writers. His defining work, the Discworld series spans 41 novels that have been translated into over 40 languages, with more than a hundred million copies sold worldwide. If you've not yet had the pleasure of discovering this fantasy world, it's a flat, circular planet revolving on the shoulders of four giant elephants who stand atop a vast star turtle called the Great A'Tuin. This turtle is 10,000 miles long and of the species Chelys galactica. Its shell is scarred with meteor craters, and its eyes are as big as seas. As you can imagine, it leaves plenty of material for an illustrator to work with. In fact, Paul Kidby has been illustrating for Discworld for over three decades.

Death as a skeletal figure in dark robes holding a scythe and an orange cat, with a woman in black standing beside him, illustrated by Paul Kidby for a Royal Mail stamp

Illustration of Tiffany Aching holding a butterfly net over her shoulder in rolling green hills under a blue sky, on a Royal Mail £2.20 stamp

Granny Weatherwax from Terry Pratchett's Discworld, illustrated by Paul Kidby, featured on a £1.00 Royal Mail stamp with a crescent moon and starry green background

Moist von Lipwig in golden robes and winged helmet holds documents, flanked by two elderly bearded wizards in blue uniforms on a Royal Mail first class stamp

Many Pratchett fans will be as familiar with Paul's work as they are with the popular series itself. He began working with Terry Pratchet in 1993 and has designed the Discworld book jackets since 2002. He has illustrated many Discworld publications including The Art of Discworld, best-selling The Last Hero and the 2017 publication Terry Pratchetts Discworld Imaginarium. In 2019 he illustrated Good Omens written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

“It has been a huge honour to illustrate this set of stamps to commemorate 40 years of Discworld," says Paul. "I am delighted to finally be able to tell people about it as it has been a big secret to keep. It's a wonderful celebration of Terry's ongoing legacy and continued popularity."

"These striking stamps will be loved by generations both young and old," says David Gold from Royal Mail. "Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels remain as popular as ever and it is fitting that in the 40th anniversary year of The Colour of Magic, we celebrate with a set of stamps that honour the work of an iconic and globally admired writer."

A large red-furred ape holds an illuminated copper lantern in a library filled with towering bookshelves, illustrated by Paul Kidby for a Royal Mail Discworld stamp

Sam Vimes from Terry Pratchett's Discworld holds a golden dragon, wearing armour and a helmet against a moonlit medieval cityscape on a £2 stamp

Rincewind tumbles through the air clutching a treasure chest surrounded by tentacles and chains in Paul Kidby's illustration on a Royal Mail first-class stamp celebrating Terry Pratchett's Discworld

Great A'Tuin the star turtle carrying Discworld on its back, illustrated by Paul Kidby on a Royal Mail £2.20 stamp

The stamps are available to pre-order from today at www.royalmail.com/discworld, by telephone on 03457 641 641 and at 7,000 Post Office branches across the UK. A Presentation Pack including all eight stamps in the set is priced at £13.50. The stamps go on general sale on 10 August.