King Juan Carlos & Queen Sofia of Spain - Christmas Reply (2016)

I don't like to pick favorites, but this is one of my favorite recent replies. 

WHY? Because this is my first reply from Spain!!! 

First replies are very exciting! I'm always very intrigued by how they respond, what the reply looks like, the envelope, etc. (Sorry, I always get really nerdy about envelopes!) This is extra special because I've written to the Spain Royals a handful of times since 2015, and no response, until today! I had wondered if one would ever come. (Although I had only ever written to King Felipe and Queen Letizia before this.)

This reply is from King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia. They are King Felipe's parents. King Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014.

Quite easy to tell the reply is from Spain by the envelope. They are after all the only Current European Monarchy whose official language is Spanish.

Correos Espana is Spain's national postal service. The postmark with the date reads "E.O. Jefatura de Estado, Madrid." Not sure what E.O. stands for, but the rest says Head of State, Madrid.

The postmark on the right, "Paquete Azul, Paquete a Domicilio" (Package Blue, Package at Home), is a marking for the Correos service they used.

What is very interesting is the Blue Stamp "Casa De S.M. El Rey - Protocolo" (Household of H.M. The King - Protocol) is printed on, not actually stamped.



The letter is written by Alfanso Sanz Portoles, Secretary-General of King Juan Carlos's Household. And is sent from the Palace of Zarzuela, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia's home.

Translated the message reads:

Household of HM The King

Secretary-General of HM King Juan Carlos

Palace of  Zarzuela 

18th January 2017

Ms. Gertrude Alexandra Daly  

[My Address] 

From Secretary-General of H.M. King Juan Carlos 

Their Majesties King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia charged me, in their name, to send their most sincere gratefulness for the kind greeting that you sent to them on the occasion of Christmas and New Year, as well as your best wishes for 2017.
I take the opportunity to wish you a happy and prosperous year. 

Alfanso Sanz Portoles

It's a very lovely reply. And I am very excited to add a new section to my binders for Spain, and of course to add the 1st Spain reply on our blog!

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