This undated file photo shows The Beatles. From top, clockwise, are Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison.                The Beatles are to appear on a set of stamps in January, the Royal Mail has announced. The stamps will feature the legendary 1960s pop band's album covers, including "With The Beatles", "Revolver", "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be". "The Beatles special stamps promise to be a big hit with fans the world over when they go on sale in January 2007," a Royal Mail spokesman said. "Royal Mail is featuring some '1st Class' Beatles album covers to commemorate the UK band that stands for all that's great in popular culture." The Beatles -- lead guitarist George Harrison, rhythm guitarist John Lennon, bassist Paul McCartney and drummer Ringo Starr -- appear on the album covers. It was only last year that the rule was deliberately broken that members of the royal family could be the only living people identifiable on British stamps. There was uproar among philatelists and royal-watchers alike in 1999 when Queen drummer Roger Taylor could be clearly seen in the background of a stamp honouring the band's legendary late singer Freddie Mercury. Former Beatles McCartney and Starr are still alive, while Lennon was killed in 1980 and Harrison died in 2001. (Agencies)

英国皇家邮政宣布，将于明年1月发行一套披头士乐队的邮票。 届时，这支风靡上世纪60年代的流行乐队的几张专辑封面将登上邮票票面，其中包括《披头士》、《左轮手枪》、《佩珀军士孤寂心灵俱乐部乐队》、《阿比大街》和《顺其自然》。 皇家邮政的一位发言人说："披头士乐队系列邮票将于明年1月发行，到时一定会在全世界披头士的歌迷中引起轰动。" 他说："披头士乐队是通俗文化的典型代表，为了纪念他们，皇家邮政选用了乐队的几张经典专辑封面做成邮票。" 披头士乐队的四位成员--主吉他手乔治·哈里森、节奏吉他手约翰·列侬、贝斯手保罗·迈卡特尼和鼓手林格·斯达都出现在专辑封面上。 在英国，在世的人只有王室成员才能登上邮票票面，这个法令直到去年才被取消。 1999年，在一张纪念皇后乐队已故著名歌手弗莱迪·莫丘里邮票的背景中，出现了乐队鼓手罗格·泰勒的清晰形象，当时这在集邮家和王室观察家中引起了轩然大波。 目前，前披头士乐队成员麦卡特尼和斯达仍然健在，列侬于1980年遇害，哈里森于2001年去世。 (英语点津姗姗编辑)