How to address members of royalty
I was wondering how I should write a letter to an important member of royalty, let's say a princess. I thought of following this pattern, but I'd like to receive your opinions in the matter... Thanks in advance!
Here goes my first attempt:
Princess XX
Her Royal Highness
(Address)
Dear Madam,
I am pleased to contact Her Royal Highness, in my capacity as (...), to formally request that she consider my proposal.
(...)
I look forward to hearing from Her Royal Highness, remaining at your/her? disposal for any further information.
Kind regards,
Re: How to address members of royalty
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Guadalupe
I was wondering how I should write a letter to an important member of royalty, let's say a princess. I thought of following this pattern, but I'd like to receive your opinions in the matter... Thanks in advance!
Here goes my first attempt:
Princess XX
Her Royal Highness
(Address)
Dear Madam,
I am pleased to contact Her Royal Highness, in my capacity as (...), to formally request that she consider my proposal.
(...)
I look forward to hearing from Her Royal Highness, remaining at your/her? disposal for any further information.
Kind regards,
Hi Guadalupe. I'm pretty sure there is a protocol for addressing royalty and I probably shouldn't even try this. I'm just a peasant!, but just in case nobody else responds, from all I have ever heard along these lines I would think that if you are writing directly to the princess you would address her as Your Royal Highness...and use YOU...and YOUR.
I'm not at all sure you would address her as Madam. Isn't that a title for married lady? If she's single she would be Miss and I don't think you address princesses as Madam or Miss. I would think that instead of Dear Madam/Miss you would write: Your Royal Highness. (not sure "dear" is appropriate when addressing royalty.)
Let's hope one of our Brit members or someone from one of the other monarchies sees this and responds.
There is probably a much better way, i.e., more formal and appropriate, but just following your example my suggestion (until someone more knowledgeable corrects me):
Your Royal Highness,
I am pleased to contact Your Royal Highness, in my capacity as (...), to formally request that you consider my proposal.
(...)
I look forward to hearing from Your Royal Highness, remaining at your disposal for any further information.
Re: How to address members of royalty
Thanks, Vicente!!! It seemed to me out of protocol treating a Princess in a direct way. Therefore, I came out with this idea of treating her as "Her Royal Highness". Perhaps, in practice, you may address letters to her Secretary or some other officer. I mean: I don't think she herself will read this kind of letters, especially because, as you have said, I'm a peasant, too!
Any other enlightening thoughts?
Re: How to address members of royalty
Hi Guadalupe, I will give it some more thought. I agree that you that a princess probably would not read just any correspondence and it might be sent to her secretary or assistant or attendant or whomever, in which case you woud refer to her as Her Royal Highness, and use her and she. But I think you might still send the letter to the princess ... so you'd go back to addressing her directly.
If nobody else responds, I will try to find some more definitive information for you. In the meantime try these links. There are more by querying "addressing royalty correspondence".
http://www.libraryonline.com/default.asp?pID=63
http://www.ehow.com/how_7836487_addr...s-royalty.html
P.S. I already see that I was wrong in one respect. A princess MAY be addressed as Madam in correspondence.
Re: How to address members of royalty
Thanks, Vicente! Very illustrative sites!!!!
Re: How to address members of royalty
In order to confirm what Vicente has already said and given that no Brit members have contributed to this post, I include an interesting and trusty site on the matter: http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/C.../Overview.aspx.
Re: How to address members of royalty
Hi Guadalupe! It appears that in the 21st century they have relaxed the formality somewhat.
"...traditional approach is by no means obligatory. You should feel free to write in whatever style you feel comfortable"
It's good to know that now we wouldn't be flogged and thrown into the dungeon for inadvertent disrespect.:D
Re: How to address members of royalty
Thank God, Vicente!
It's also good to know that nowadays you do not have to take care of your head, in case someone might chop it off... :eek:
Re: How to address members of royalty
Hi Guadalupe and Vicente,
I am indeed British born and bred, but unfortunately have never had the honour of writing to any member of the Royal Family.
I think it must be correct to say Her Royal Highness, as her official title is HRH.
I also know that if you meet her in person you have to address her as Ma'am (pronounced marm - no rolling of Rs please - if you're posh or a Southerner, or mam if you´re anyone else), but I can't say if you would write that in an official letter.
However, Queen Liz and her old pop did start being the 'People's Monarchy', going and looking at warzones where the common people had been killed in WWII, that kind of thing, and so I wouldn't be surprised if you could just write her a letter saying, "Hey Queeny, how´s it hanging?" Perhaps we should try it and see if we get a response.
I am intrigued to know, Guadalupe, why you are writing to a Princess. I imagine you're asking for fashion advice, not sure if she could offer you much more.
Re: How to address members of royalty
GOLLY GOSH!
just looking at that Royal Mail link on How to contact the Queen,
I'm quite startled by the obligatory ending, 'I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant'.
Re: How to address members of royalty
Hahaha! I thought the same thing jworley! Pretty darn formal.
It sounds like something out of an old Errol Flynn movie.:D
Re: How to address members of royalty
It might be good for her to enjoy a short trip to a ranch in Texas! What's your take on that Vicente? :-))))
Re: How to address members of royalty
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jworley
GOLLY GOSH!
just looking at that Royal Mail link on How to contact the Queen,
I'm quite startled by the obligatory ending, 'I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant'.
Wow... Some Middle Ages' customs stay the same.
Re: How to address members of royalty
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jworley
I am intrigued to know, Guadalupe, why you are writing to a Princess. I imagine you're asking for fashion advice, not sure if she could offer you much more.
Hi Jworley! Sorry for the delay. I've been working (in fact, I AM, this is kind of a break) a lot these days!
Well, I was helping a friend who wanted to write a letter, within the scope of a project to avoid violence against women, to a Princess asking for advice on a matter she understands.
I don't know if he got a reply yet.
Re: How to address members of royalty
Quote:
Originally Posted by
gentle
It might be good for her to enjoy a short trip to a ranch in Texas! What's your take on that Vicente? :-))))
Hi gentle:D
I think Her Majesty the Queen or Her Highness the Princess, or both, would enjoy a trip to Texas and would be very much impressed with the friendliness of the folks here. Texans would be thrilled to have them visit. If she got out into the ranch country I doubt that she would hear much of "Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant'." but she would certainly hear lots of "Howdy" and "Ma'am".;)
Personally, I'd love to meet the Queen ... and she is the ONLY head of state in the entire world I'd say that about, including the president of the U.S.
