Princess Eugenie & Jack Brooksbank - Wedding Reply (2018)

Today I received a lovely reply from the UK. I had written to Princess Eugenie & Jack Brooksbank last month to congratulate the couple on their wedding.

The front of the envelope is the typical from the British Royals, featuring the red postmark from the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace. Obviously, as this reply is bigger than usual, the envelope is bigger than usual.

The back of the envelope features the couple's joint monogram. You will notice the lack of crown on the monogram. As Jack is not an HRH, his monogram & the couple's joint monogram does not feature a crown. Princess Eugenie's solo monogram still features a crown though.

The reply is the same size as their engagement reply, except the card is landscape instead of portrait. (This is about 2x the size of the typical photo card from Clarence House.)

The front of the card feature one of the couple official wedding photos taken by Alex Bramall. Bramall previously photographed Princess Eugenie for Harper's Bazaar back in 2016.

The picture was taken in the White Drawing Room, at Windsor Castle.

Back row: Prince George; Princess Charlotte; Theodora Williams; Jack Brooksbank; Princess Eugenie; Isla Phillips; Louis De Givenchy 

Front row: Mia Tindall; Savannah Phillips; Maud Windsor

Inside the card is a copy of a handwritten note, likely written by Princess Eugenie. She would have written the note once, and then it is printed on all the cards.

The cards reads: 

Thank you for the bottom of our hearts for making our wedding so special and for thinking of us as we start our married life. 

We are completely over-whelmed with happiness.  

Eugenie & Jack

The signatures are also printed onto the card. Eugenie & Jack's signatures are different than the ones featured on the couple's engagement reply, The York's tend to reuse their signatures, for their family Christmas card, so it is nice to see they didn't to that this time. 

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Prince Harry & Duchess Meghan - Wedding Reply (2018)

I long awaited reply arrived today from the UK. I had written to Harry & Meghan back in May to congratulate them on their wedding. This reply came about 5.5 months after I had written, which is a long response time, but not the longest I've seen. (That honor would go to the Queen's 90th Birthday Reply.)

The envelope is the usual from the British Royals, with the red postmark from the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace.

The back of the envelope features a black with Kensington Palace written underneath, that is used for the Cambridges & Sussex's mail.  

The reply is the typical photo card, along with a letter.

The photo is one of the couple's official wedding photos taken by Alexi Lubomirski at Windsor Castle. This was my favorite one of their wedding photos. I like how relaxed it seemed. But I'm not sure how I feel about a black and white photo being used for their photo reply. I think a colored photo would have been more elegant.

The message on the back of the card is the usual sort of thing.

The card reads:

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been overwhelmed by all the incredibly kind cards and letters they have received on the occasion of their Wedding, and are so touched that you took the trouble to write as you did.  

It really was most thoughtful of you and greatly appreciated by Their Royal Highnesses who send you their very best wishes. 

I also received a letter from Claudia Spens, head of the Correspondence Section at Clarence House, thanking me for the donation I made in honor of the couple's wedding. I had made a donation to Myna Mahila Foundation, which was one of the seven charities Harry & Meghan suggested well-wishers donate to in lieu of sending a gift.

The letter reads:

Dear Miss Daly, 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have asked me to thank you for your letter of 24th May and I must apologise for the delay in responding to you. As I am sure you can imagine, this has been a particularly busy time for this office and we have, consequently, been unable to reply as quickly as we should have liked to. 

It was so kind of you to take the trouble to write as you did and Their Royal Highnesses were immensely touches by your generous words of support. The Duke and Duchess were heartened to learn of the charitable donation you made to the Myna Mahila Foundation in their honour; this was most thoughtful and commendable of you and Their Royal Highnesses are incredibly grateful.  

Although unable to reply to you personally, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have asked me to send you their warmest thanks for your letter and their very best wishes.  

Yours sincerely,  

Claudia Spens

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Writing to the Royals for Christmas - 2018 Guide

King Willem-Alexander & Queen Maxima's Christmas Reply from 2015, 2016 & 2017.

The Royals absolutely love to get letters and cards from the public, and Christmas is no different!

Writing for the 1st time?
If you are writing to the Royals for the 1st time (or want a refresher on the basics) check out our "How To" tab. This post will only cover the specifics for Christmas 2018. 

When to start writing?
My feeling is Christmas letters and cards should arrive no more than a month before Christmas (i.e. after November 25th). So I usually start writing mid/late November. 

You don't want to start writing too early. As it can affect what you get in reply. (Same with being too late.) If they don't have the Christmas reply printed when they opening your letter, the office staff may just send you some generic reply, as they don't want mail stacking up in the office, given that they already hundreds a day. 

Send by Date?
It is always hard to choose a "Send by Date" to recommend to you all. When you should send your letters varies from country to country, where you are sending it to, the type of mail (economy, standard, first class, priority, etc.), if it is a standard size envelope, etc.

Our general recommended Send by Date is: Saturday, December 8th! 

To find the exact "send by date" for you, check out your national postal service's website. Some of you may need to send your letter earlier, while others will have more time.

Remember during the Christmas season, it often takes longer for mail to arrive. 

What if I miss the Dec 8th send by date?
That is perfectly okay. Feel free to continue sending your letters/cards after this date, it just may not arrive by Christmas. And that is fine.  

If you are sending your letter after Christmas, I would re-focus it a little and wish them a Happy New Year and 2019. I think at the lastest you can write until the end of the first week January. 

Addresses?
You can find all the addresses for the Royals under our "Addresses" tab.

Note:  A lot of Monarchies outside Europe are not Christian and don't celebrate Christmas. If you wanted to write to them, I would figure out what it is they are celebrating this time of year, or just send them good wishes for the season/new years.  

What if I don't celebrate Christmas?
Don't worry! You can still send the Royals a Holiday/ Winter Season/ New Years letter or card, whatever it is you are celebrating this season. Be aware, however, most royals send out pre-made cards, that aren't personalize for each person, so their reply may thank you for your Christmas wishes.

What to write?
I very often get asked this question. The answer is, write whatever you feel like writing about. There is no one right answer. As long as you are being respectful and thoughtful, it is hard to go wrong.

For Christmas you could mention things like: 

• Some event in 2018 that was particularly meaningful to you
• or a cause, royal visit or tour, etc. 
• Royal wedding, baby/pregnancy announcement, etc. 
• What you are most excited for in 2019 
• How this royal has inspired you 
• What you admire about the royal family 
• December or January birthdays/anniversaries
• etc.

We have some sample letters/card to the Royal on the "How To" tab. 

What to expect?
Royals get thousands of Christmas cards and letters each year, full of well-wishes and hopes for the coming year. Unfortunately, most are unable to send out personal responses. Responses vary greatly across the different royals. Most respond with a pre-made thank you, and the response will usually be sent sometime in January, or February (December if you are lucky!  March if you are unlucky! & possibly longer for Clarence House). There are sadly some royals don't send replies or don't reply to everyone who writes.

But do remember that it takes them a while to answer everyone. So people may get their replies weeks or months apart. 

You can check out my replies from past Christmases here. And more on average response time here. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Should I type or handwrite my letter?

Answer: Either is fine. There is no wrong answer! The important thing is that the person can read & understand your letter. Do whatever you are most comfortable with and what looks good.

I usually type my letters because it looks neater. I don't have the prettiest handwriting. It also allows me to edit it, and check my spelling. I usually take a lot of time and care with each letter. Having it on my laptop, where I can work on it a little bit at a time, works well for me.

But when I do want to handwrite a letter, I always make sure to plan it out. I usually handwrite things when I don't have a lot to say, when it is a simple and short message. I don't want to make a mistake on my nice stationery or run out of room, so I usually start by typing my note so I can organize my thoughts and edit. Use a font & size that is like your handwriting so you can figure out how much will fit on the page.

Question 2: How long should my letter be?

Answer: How long your letter is depends on how much you have to say, and the occasion. It can just be a few lines, or something longer.

I would not write anything longer than a page. The best letters are not the longest, but clear, to the point, and personal. Anything you need to say in 5 pages can probably be said in 1 and much more elegantly.

Question 3: What language should I write in?

Answer: It is perfectly fine to write to a royal in one of the country's official languages, English, or that Royal's native language. I think all of those choices are perfectly fine and equal. So, I would write in whatever language you are most comfortable in and will be clear and understandable.

Don't feel like you need to write in the official language, instead of English. For me, as an American, my English is great. There is no reason for me to write something messed up in another language when I can write in English. Although sometimes, I will include the phrase "Happy Birthday" or "Congratulations" in their language. I think that is a very nice and considerate touch.

Question 4: I haven't received a reply from ____ yet, and I've waited SO LONG!!!!!!!

Answer: Has it been 3 months yet? 

No: Then be patient. It takes time for them to reply. They are busy with many things and get a lot of mail. 1-3 Months is a perfectly normal response time. (Some monarchies take even longer)

Yes, It's been over 2 months: Again, don't worry. They are busy with many things and get a lot of mail. I have received a lot of replies after 2 months. My longest wait has been 8 months waiting for a reply.

Remember for big occasions (e.g. Jubilees, Milestone Birthdays, Births, Weddings, etc.) they receive a lot of mail, and it can take longer than usual for them to send out replies.

They also tend to be very slow over the Christmas holiday and during Summer since a lot of their staff are on holiday.

Of course, there are some Royals who don't send replies. We have a list of average response times here & we do note those royals who don't, or only occasionally, send out replies.

Question 5: Someone got a reply for ___ and I didn't?

Answer: Don't worry. Royals get a lot of mail, and can't send out all the replies at once. It takes time. I have seen people write at the same time, for the same thing and get replies months apart.

Occasionally, we do see some people get replies and others not. But, most royals reply to everyone.

Question 6: Do I need to send a self-addressed envelope or stamps with my letter?

Answer: No. The Royal's office takes care of all that.

Question 7: If I'm writing for a child's birthday should I address my letter to the parents or the child?

Answer: Either is acceptable. The important thing is the letter is delivered to the right place. The child's and the parent's mail is usually answered by the same office, so there really isn't any difference.

I would address the envelope to the person you wrote the letter/card to. Most of the time people are really writing to the parents, so you should address the envelope to them. They are also usually the ones sending the Thank You card.

A letter/card to a child is going to be different than for an adult. A baby who can't read yet is only going to be interested in your letter if they can chew on it. A letter for a child should be simple & playful, with cute drawings or stickers, etc.

Question 8: When should I write? Is it too early or late?

The perfect time to send a letter depends on the occasion. You don't have to write in the window I mention below, but I recommend it. If you write too early or too late, it will affect response time and possibly the type of response.

Writing ahead of the event:
There are some events where you want to send your letter ahead to time (Birthdays, Anniversaries, etc). 

It's always great when you can send your letter early enough that it arrives on or before the event. I recommend 2 weeks ahead of time. That will usually give your letter enough time to get there and give their office time to go through the mail. (But of course, it depends on how long it takes mail from your country to get to the Royals country. And that can vary greatly across the world.)

However, you can't always sit down to write 2 weeks ahead of time for every event. Don't worry. As long as you can get your letter out some time that month it's fine. Sometimes that means sending it out 30 days ahead of time or sending it out on the person's birthday. 

Writing after the event:
There are some events where you will send your letter after (Births, Deaths, Weddings, etc.). 

It is going to take you time to write and process the event. They are also going to be busy during this time. So don't feel like you have to write as soon as the announcement is made. Feel free to wait a few days. But I would try to get your letter mailed out within 2-3 weeks.

What if my timing is way off?
If you want to write to someone and it's way past whatever event, or way before. Don't fret, you don't need a specific occasion to write. Write a more general letter and put in a small mention about the event. (I just wouldn't send "general letters" all the time. This is something you can do when you first write to a royal. But after that sending a bunch of "Random letters" isn't good, and may not get you a reply.)

Question 9: Can I send my letter to their home address?

I would never write to a royals home unless specifically directed to. The question is not where do the royals live, but where are the staff who handle their mail. Sometimes things sent to a royal's home or the wrong palace are forward on, meaning you will still get a reply, it is just delayed. Sometimes sending it to the wrong address means you don't get any reply. So, I would always send it to the royal's official mailing address. And we work hard to make sure the addresses on our website are always the best & up-to-date. You can find them here. 

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Sending a Letter

How to format your letter is up to you. You can find some sample letters to the Royals on our "How To" tab. You can also look at different Royal replies as inspiration, which can be found on the "Replies" Tab. 

The basic part of a letter is: 

Dear [Royal's name, style or title], 

 [Your Message] Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Quam nulla porttitor massa id neque aliquam. Faucibus a pellentesque sit amet porttitor eget dolor morbi. Amet luctus venenatis lectus magna fringilla. Auctor urna nunc id cursus metus aliquam. 

[Your Message] Morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla facilisi nullam. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant morbi. A lacus vestibulum sed arcu non odio euismod lacinia. Elementum tempus egestas sed sed risus. Lacus suspendisse faucibus interdum posuere lorem ipsum dolor. 

Yours Sincerely [or some other closing],  

[Your Signature]

Be sure it is clear from your letter who exactly you are writing to and what for. 

You also need to include in your letter:

• The Date
• (Month written out. I.E. write May, not 5 )
• Your name written out 
• (as signature can be hard to read)
• Full Return Address (including country) 

Where those get placed is up to you and how you format your letter. 

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Sending a Card

Cards are great. You can either send a pre-made card, which is really quick and easy. Or you can show off our creative side and make your own card. Either is perfectly fine.

How to format your card is up to you. You can find some sample letters & cards to the Royals on our "How To" tab. You can also look at different Royal replies as inspiration, which can be found on the "Replies" Tab. 

But here are some basic guidelines:

• Make it obvious who you are writing to
• Sometimes the Royals' mail is answered by a general correspondence office. So they are handling the mail for a number of the royals. You want to make it clear exactly who you are writing to on both your envelope and card. 
• "Your Royal Highness" could refer to a number of people. Either mention the person's name or title, or make it clear from context. 
• Your message
• Mention specifically the event you are writing for. The Royals receive a lot of mail and often it takes them a while to answer, so they will want to know exactly what you are writing for. 
• I.e. Don't just say "Congratulations," say "Congratulations on the birth of your Daughter/ your wedding/ etc." 
• Sign the card. 
• I would also write out your name because signatures can sometimes be hard to read.
• Include your full return address, including COUNTRY. (The back of the card is usually a good place.) 
• If you ready wanted to send a card, but have a lot to say, feel free to include a letter or typed note with the card. 
• Be careful, your cards may be "non-machinable" and require extra postage if the envelope is:
• non-standard size or shape,
• square,
• isn't flat, and smooth, 
• is too thick,
• etc.

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Sample Letters/Cards - Christmas

Here are some sample letters and cards to the Royal for Christmas

If you would like to submit your own letter/card, email me at gertsroyals@gmail.com or direct message me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

I will pick a few of the best that represent a range of styles for the more formal to informal, personal, creative, long, short, etc. And I will remove any sensitive personal information like your address, last name, (First name too if you want), etc.

Sample 1: Prince Charles & Duchess Camilla (2017)

I hand wrote in "Dear Your Royal Highnesses," & "Yours Sincerely, Gertrude Daly." The address at the bottom has been blacked out.

Sample 2: King Albert & Queen Paola of Belgium (2016)

I hand wrote in "Dear Your Majesties," & "Gertrude Daly." The address at the top has been blacked out.

Sample 3: Christmas Card (2018)

Inside of one of the handmade cards. (Note: I would mention who you are writing to in your card & on the envelope. Sometimes the royals' mail is answered by a general correspondence office, so they are answering mail for a lot of different royals. And you want to make it clear who you are writing to, so they can give you the right reply.)

Front of one of the cards.

Front of one of the cards. (Note: While I love handmade cards, you do want to be careful. A little decoration should be fine. But if the envelope is an unusual size, shape, weight, is square, has an uneven thickness, etc. it might be "nonmachinable," which means it can't go through the postal office's normal machines. And that usually means it will require extra stamps.)

Front of one of the cards.

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