Duke of Kent - 85th Birthday (2020)

A lovely reply arrived in January from the UK. I had written to the Duke of Kent for his 85th Birthday in October. 

I usually only write to the Queen's cousins for their milestone birthdays. And as such this is only the 3rd reply I have from the Duke. The first was from his 80th Birthday in 2015. The 2nd from his 2017 illness. 

What is most interesting about the envelope is it doesn't have the usual postmark from the Court Post office at Buckingham Palace. Although, it is still franked with the Sovereign Grant's PPI number W4047. This would indicate this was NOT sent from one of the London Royal Residences, as all their mail collected and processed through the Court Post Office, and would be franked with that postmark. 

International Mail is usually routed from the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace to the Mount Pleasant Mail Center in Central London and then to Heathrow Airport. However, the 2nd Postmark in black shows that this piece of mail was instead processed through the Croydon Mail Centre, which is way south of Central London. This makes me think that the letter did not in fact come from the Duke of Kent's office at St. James's Palace, but instead, sent from a staff member's home near Croydon as they were working from home. 

Inside is a letter from Mrs. Gill Pearson, The Duke of Kent's Personal Assistant. The letter is written on a half-sheet of paper. Past replies from the Duke were printed on nice stationery with his embossed badge and info at the top of the page. Instead, this is simply printed on printer paper with a grainy image of his badge hat was also printed on. I think that is another result of The Duke's assistant working from home, and maybe not having access to his nice stationery. 

The Letter says: 

The Office of HRH The Duke of Kent

St. James's Palace

London SW1A 1BQ

 

Miss Gertrude Daly 

[My Address] 

Dear Miss Daly,  

His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent thanks you for sending good wishes on the occasion of His Royal Highness's 85th Birthday.  

Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated.  

Yours sincerely, 

G. M. Pearson 

Mrs. Gill Pearson

Personal Assistant to H.R.H The Duke of Kent K.G.

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