From the day the Kingdom of Lesotho gained independence until his death, it was ruled by King Moshoeshoe II, who died in a car accident on January 15, 1996. He headed the state with a break of five years: in 1990, King Letsie, who had overthrown him, ascended the throne in his place; in 1995, he abdicated power in his favor and again became the head of Lesotho after the death of Moshoeshoe II. Moshoeshoe II was featured on the 1988 Lesotho bird standard series of postage stamps. Later, Lesotho moved away from traditional themes and became more aware of motifs that sell well. Although this country's sincere affection for the late Diana, Princess of Wales is beyond doubt. This is reflected on the country's postage stamps.