Royal English Post: How Elizabeth II Answers Letters And More

A few days ago, a serious scandal broke out in the royal family of Britain. It’s all about the interview given to Oprah Winfrey by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle. We are sure that you have seen not only the news about this, but also a bunch of memes.

Buckingham Palace has already reacted to the situation and issued an official message, which skillfully avoids all sharp corners and does not say anything concrete. Therefore, today we would like to talk about the system of messages and letters at the Queen’s residence. And show how personal and at the same time about nothing they can be. Go.

The recent scandal and the Queen’s response

We will not bury ourselves in the dirty linen of the royal family. There are tabloids and tabloids for this.

But in general terms, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave a very scandalous interview about the royal family, which puts the queen and the entire court in a bad light. There are accusations of racism, and coercion to silence unpleasant situations, and slander on the part of the royal family.

Quotes from an hour and a half interview stole all media outlets.

The official answer to this was not long in coming. It was short, but very curious in terms of English and its meanings.

The whole family is saddened to fully learn how difficult the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.
The issues raised, especially about race, are alarming. While some memories may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be treated in private by the family.
Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be very beloved family members.

This is the whole point of diplomatic messages and mail. There is a reaction, there is no negative in it, but it is not clear what exactly they wanted to say.

But, as in any diplomatic mail, there is necessarily a subtext here that is not directly mentioned, but implied.

Let’s try to explain.

The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.

Didn’t the royal family know about how Harry and Meghan lived? After all, they did not interrupt communication completely and did not hide. And even before they made the decision to resign, the queen and her subjects were fully aware of the life of her grandson and his wife.

The point here is different. The Queen was upset to learn about all this on the TV screen. In other words, the family is unhappy with the fact that dirty linen was taken out of the royal house and the situation was trumpeted to the whole world.

The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning.

Considering that information about racism in the royal family spread through the news outlets at the speed of light, then the question is really very acute. And if we take into account the relevance of issues of racial discrimination in the world and the BLM movement in particular, then it turns from acute into a dangerous one for the image of the entire royal family and the queen in particular.

Moreover, the concern is not the question of racism itself, but the fact that it has been raised at the public level. Moreover, in a foreign country.

While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.

And here it is very interesting. Because the phrase “memories can be different” is a very diplomatic and veiled way of saying that what Megan said is not entirely true. Anyway, from the point of view of the royal family.

The family cannot directly declare a lie. First, this is an even greater loss of face before the world community. And secondly, this very community will demand proof that Buckingham Palace cannot provide or, more likely, will not want.

And about “will be addressed by the family privately”, this is a transparent allusion to the fact that Harry and Megan will definitely be asked for what they are doing. After all, from a political point of view, it looks like a rather dirty game to discredit the crown.

Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.

And the last phrase. It means little more than just assurances of family ties. Indeed, largely because of the child, this porridge was brewed and accusations of the royal family of racism began. Therefore, its mention here is not accidental.

Royal mail, or how to write a letter to the queen and get an answer

Let’s jump from a sharp and unpleasant topic to more neutral tracks. Diplomatic correspondence on behalf of the Queen is set as an example for students of the faculties of international relations at the top universities in the world.

Without exception, all letters on behalf of the Queen are drawn up in a formal style, emphatically polite, and at the same time with personal appeals. Composing such a letter is a whole art. Even if it’s just gratitude for congratulations on any holiday.

And in order to receive a letter from the queen, you do not need to be a diplomat or head of state. Absolutely anyone from any country can write a letter to the Queen and get an answer to it.

We took one of these answers from open sources and analyzed what it says.

The Queen wishes me to thank you for the postcard you sent for Christmas and for a lovely pair of slippers.
It was very nice of you to put your photos in for Her Majesty and tell the Queen a little about yourself and your travel hobbies.
After another year of special celebrations in honor of Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh and their family, I want to thank you for your thoughtfulness in writing (in a letter), as you did, and I hope that you too were happy at Christmas and you had a peaceful New Year.

It is clear that the answer is not written by the queen herself, but by one of her ladies-in-waiting – the signature “Lady-in-waiting” directly hints at this. But this is not a standard unsubscribe, but a personal letter written by the person who read your postcard.

It must contain some personal information so that the person understands that his letter has been read. This is the second paragraph here.

Please note that the addressee’s name, date and signature are done only manually. In the etiquette of business and official correspondence, this is an expression of respect.

The language of writing is very simple, a student with an Intermediate level can read it without any problems. Maids of honor avoid complex constructions on purpose due to the fact that the queen is often written by foreigners who cannot boast of perfect knowledge of English.

And yes, the phrase “yours sincerely” is more relevant here than ever. To whom else to write so formally if not to the queen?

Instructions on how to write to the Queen of Britain and get an answer

It’s actually pretty simple.

Queen’s address: Her Majesty the Queen, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom.

Important! Your address must be written not only on the envelope, but also in the letter itself. This will make it easier for the lady-in-waiting to prepare the response and send it.

The form and content of the letter can be anything you like. You can send a postcard, congratulate the queen on the holidays, tell a little about yourself.

In general, there are only two topics that should not be addressed in the letter: politics and personal requests. Everything else is possible. The main thing is that the text is decent and correct.

Pay particular attention to the beginning and end of the letter. Only “Madam” or “Your Majesty” need to greet the monarch. You can try “Dear Granny”, but in this case you will not get an answer – such an appeal will be considered an insult. You also need to finish the letter correctly. The following options are valid: “Faithfully yours”, “Sincerely yours”, or “Respectfully yours”.

It’s all. Seal the envelope and send. If you followed these simple recommendations, then in 3-6 weeks you will receive a response on stamp paper from one of the ladies in waiting.

The Queen’s press service has been working at the highest level for decades in a row. This also applies to diplomatic correspondence, and official announcements, and personal letters to ordinary citizens.

It is very interesting to observe this difference in meanings. In response to letters from ordinary people, they just write nice things without much subtext. But in official messages, the texts are downright full of ambiguity.

And if you want to write a letter to the Queen, but are not yet sure of your grammar, sign up for a trial lesson – our teachers will prepare you like a king.

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