Duchess Camilla - Birthday Reply (2015)

I was very excited when I spotted this envelope lying on my kitchen counter.

I could tell immediately from the front of the envelope that this letter was from Camilla. Not because there was a Monogram/Cypher on the front, but because Camilla is the only BRF I have ever gotten a larger sized envelope from or piece of mail sent by registered mail.

 One interesting thing I noticed was the color of Camilla's monogram on the back of the envelope.

Last time, it was green and this time it was blue. The green monograms are letters sent from Birkhall. Birkhall is Charles and Camilla's residence in Scotland. The blue monogram is for letters sent from Clarence House, their official residence in London.

Camilla replies with the usual photo card, with a typed message on the back. Camilla's cards are a little extra special compared to the other birthday replies from Clarence House. This card is double the size of the typical Charles/Cambridges/Harry birthday replies.

On the front of the card, is a very lovely picture of Camilla at the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of the Arts on June 2nd. The picture was taken by Thomas Alexander. I especially love this photo, because we see Camilla making a rare tiara appearance, and wearing her Royal Victorian Order and her Royal Family Order.

The reply was sent 3 days after Camilla's birthday and took 8 days to arrive in the mail.

And to make it extra special, Camilla hand-signed the note, which is why this was sent by registered mail.

The message reads:

Dear Gertrude,  

Thank you for remembering my birthday and for sending me such a lovely message.  

With best wishes, 

 Camilla

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Queen Sonja of Norway - Birthday Reply (2015)

I got a reply today from Norway. I had written to Queen Sonja of Norway for her 78th birthday on July 4th. I don't remember the exact date I sent my letter, but based on when I normally send letters, this reply came in just under a month, which is a great response time.

The envelope is pretty basic. But one of the things I love about getting mail from the Royals is each country has it own distinct postmark and markings. The envelope's postmark "Norge" means Norway, and was sent priority on the 21st (2 weeks after Queen Sonja's birthday). It took 6 days to arrive in the mail.

"Det Kongelige Hoff" written on the bottom of the envelope is Norwegian for "The Royal Court." There was no monogram on the back of the envelope. 

This was the first time I had written to the Norway Royals. The letter is brief, but cute. (First letters are always very exciting.) The letter is written by the Queen's senior secretary, Reidum Norberg, on a half-sheet sized paper, and hand signed. The telephone and fax on the bottom are the general numbers for the Royal Palace.

The message on the letter:

Dear Miss Daly, 

H.M. The Queen has asked me to thank you for your kind greetings on the occasion of Her Majesty's birthday. 

Yours sincerely, 

Reidun Norberg

Senior Secretary

The letter was written on a very nice quality paper. The watermark indicates that it is the brand "Conqueror," manufactured by UK company, Arjowiggins Creative Papers.  I found this interesting because it is a British company, and because I've seen the name, Conqueror, on a number of envelopes from different royals. (The Conqueror watermark is only present on a few sizes and colors, depending on the style of paper.)

This letter is written on cream colour paper, and the lines you see in the watermark are part of the "Laid" papermaking process. 

As I looked through all my different letters, I realized many of them are on Conqueror stationary (e.g. Norway, Monaco, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Duchess of York). There are a whole bunch of different types, style, colours and finishes. 

For those wondering what Stationary the British Royals use, no need for a watermark. The Queen and Prince Charles have both given out Royal Warrants to The Wren Press.

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Thank You Letter from the King and Queen of Netherlands (2015)

I almost over looked this piece of Royal Mail when it arrived today.

I had written to the King Willem-Alexander & Queen Máxima after they had visited the USA on a Official Royal Visit in early June. They were going to be visiting really close to me, so I had planned on go to see them. I ended up not being able to, but decided to write to them about their successful tour and some local media coverage.

This is the 1st time I had written to the Dutch Royals. I really like this reply. It looks different than other Royal letters.

The Envelope is one of those large, half sheet of paper sized envelopes with a window for the address (1st piece of Royal Mail I've gotten to have such). The envelope is your normal business mail thickness and quality, which is why I almost thought was a bill at first and set it aside.  

Like with other Foreign Mail, the envelope is written in the country's native language, Dutch. It features the Royal Monogram on the front of the Envelope. The message under the Blue Crown reads Dienst Van Het Koninklijk Huis (Bureau of the Royal Household). 

The reply was sent by Priority Mail on July 2nd and arrived 5 days latter, about a month after I sent my letter. 

The Letter is on a full sheet of printed stationary. It has a embossed coat of arms on the upper right hand corner (You can't really tell in this picture). The letter was written by the Deputy Principal Secretary to the King and Queen, F. L. Manche, who hand-signed the Letter. 

 

The letter says: 

Dear Mrs. Daly,  

Thank you for your letter, that you were so kind to send to His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen  of the Netherlands after the Royal visit to the United State of American last month.  

Your kind gesture is very much appreciated. 

Yours sincerely, 

(F.L. Manche)

Deputy Principal Secretary to

 His Majesty the King and 

Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands.  

The note is very brief, but mentions specifically why I had written. The Dutch by the date denotes that this was written at Noordeinde Palace in the city Hague. I'm not entirely sure what the Dutch on the left hand side means. Onderwerp translates to Subject or Topic.  So I assume 15/jbg denotes the topic and number, but I really have no idea what this references.

More replies from The Netherlands 

Prince Philip - Birthday Reply (2015)

I had written to Prince Phillip for his 94th Birthday last month. This reply came about a month after I sent my letter. Which is a very reasonable response time.

This response is obviously a form response, sent to everyone who wrote. There is nothing about this letter that would suggest it was in a way specifically written for me. This is also the first letter I have received from a British Royals where it looks like the signature was printed on.

This response was written on a half sheet sized paper. Prince Philip's stationary look different than other British royals. Over the years royals have changed their stationary, but Philip has kept this older look.

The telephone number and fax are the general numbers for Buckingham Palace.

The letter says: 

I have been asked by Prince Philip to say how much he appreciated your good wishes for his Birthday. 

Fred Moynan

Assistant Equerry to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh

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Queen Elizabeth - Birth of Princess Charlotte Reply (2015)

 Today I received a letter from Queen Elizabeth II. I was really excited when I saw her Red monogram embossed on the back of the envelope.  I had written to Queen Elizabeth, last month, to congratulate her on the birth of her newest Great-Granddaughter, Princess Charlotte. I had also written to William & Kate and Charles & Camilla congratulating them on the birth as well.

I think I would have been more enthusiastic about this reply if it had included a sentence about the Queen's feelings about Princess Charlotte's arrival.  In the reply for the Queen's 89th Birthday, Mary Morrison, one of the Queen's Ladies-in-Waiting, wrote to me that "the arrival of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge has given much pleasure to the whole Royal Family."

The letter says: 

The Queen thanks you very much for your message of congratulations on the birth of her great-granddaughter, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.  

Her Majestty is most grateful for your kind words and greatly appreciated your thought for her family at this time.

 

June 2015

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Letter From Rebecca Deacon (2015)

After the Birth of Princess Charlotte last month I wrote to William and Kate to congratulate them on the birth of their 1st daughter. I also wrote a letter to the Cambridge's Staff congratulating them on what I thought was a job very well done at Lindo Wing. I thought they had learned a lot from Prince George's birth and did an incredible at making Princess Charlotte's birth a lot smoother and easier for everyone involved. It was amazing how even though you could be on the other side of the world, they created a feeling like you were a fan on the streets outside the hospital, although we probably had a better view.

I addressed the letter to Rebecca Deacon, Miguel Head, Jason Knauf, Nick Loughran, Katrina McKeever and the others member of staff who had assisted at Lindo Wing. The envelope I addressed to Rebecca Deacon, the Duchess of Cambridge's Private Secretary, and I sent it to Kensington Palace, where the Cambridges' office is located. Normal correspondence for the Cambridges are dealt with and should be sent to Clarence House.

I wasn't 100% expecting a reply since the letter was addressed and meant for the Cambridge staff, not the couple. I wasn't sure how they would feel about a letter being written to them personally. So I was very excited when I received an envelope in the mail with Catherine's monogram on the back. The envelope and stationary are the exact same as is used when Rebecca Deacon or others mail letters on the Duchess's behalf. When letters are sent on the couple's behalf Prince William's stationery is used. The reply was sent a month after I had mailed the letter and took 4 days to arrive. That is pretty good timing when writing to a British Royal.

The letter was pretty standard of what you see when writing to a British Royal. They usually start with addressing your letter, mention how touched they were and send their best wishes.

The letter says:

Dear Miss Daly,  

Thank you very much for the supportive letter which you so kindly sent on the occasion of the birth of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's daughter, Princess Charlotte.  

I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the occasion and celebrations; it is a very happy time for Their Royal Highnesses as a family.  

It was extremely kind of you to take the trouble to write as you did and this comes this comes [sic] with my warmest thanks and best wishes.  

Yours Sincerely, 

Rebecca Deacon

Even Rebecca Deacon is prone to a few mistakes, in the last paragraph of the letter Rebecca accidentally repeats "this comes" twice and on the envelope, the word "Private" is misspelled.

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Birth of Princess Charlotte Reply (2015)

Yesterday, I was very excited when I got the mail since on the back of one of the envelopes was William's unmistakable "W"! I know exactly what this was. I had written to the Cambridges in May to send my congratulations on the birth of Princess Charlotte.

   

It is your standard reply from the Cambridges, a postcard-sized photo with a typed note on the back. The photo is of the Cambridge's leaving Lindo Wing with Charlotte on the day of her birth. It was taken by James Whatling; who is an independent photographer.

    

The card says:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were most touched that you took the trouble to write as you did on the birth of their daughter, Princess Charlotte.  

Their Royal Highness are extremely grateful for the wonderful messages they have received and send you their warmest thanks and best wishes. 

HRH Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge 

2nd May, 2015 

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Kensington Palace shared a look behind the scenes of all the letter they received from around the world for Princess Charlotte's birth.

The Duke & Duchess are very grateful for the wonderful messages they've received on the birth of Princess Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/HOI0Xp2d7r

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) June 6, 2015

Thank you to everyone who took the time to make handmade gifts for Princess Charlotte - here are a few of them! pic.twitter.com/HgakDrRHXr

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) June 6, 2015

Because I know this has long been a point of interest, I just wanted to confirm that yes, technically you can send your letter to the Cambridges/Harry to Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace or Clarence House. But Clarence House is where the letters are replied to by Prince Charles's correspondence section. If you send it anywhere else, it is collected and taken to Clarence House.

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