Buckingham Palace receives tens of thousands of letters of condolence since death of Queen

Buckingham Palace receives tens of thousands of letters of condolence since death of Queen
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George McMillan

By George McMillan


Published: 01/10/2022

- 06:16

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 10:37

The royal family have received sack loads of mail from well-wishers who felt moved to write and convey their sympathy for the monarchy.

More than 50,000 letters and messages expressing the public’s condolences following the Queen’s death and funeral have flooded into Buckingham Palace.

The royal family have received sack loads of mail from well-wishers who felt moved to write and convey their sympathy for the monarchy.


On September 19 – the day of the Queen’s funeral – the King and his family were pictured looking emotional and tens of thousands of people filled the streets of London and Windsor to pay their respects as the coffin procession passed by.

The day after the funeral, the daily amount of correspondence peaked at 6,500 – out of a total of more than 50,000 letters – Buckingham Palace said.

Pictures were taken at Buckingham Palace earlier this week showing some of the thousands of letters being opened by members of the royal household’s correspondence team.

NEWS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE. NO MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS, MEMORABILIA or COLOURABLY SIMILAR. This photograph is provided to you strictly on condition that you will make no charge for the supply, release or publication of it and that these conditions and restrictions will apply (and that you will pass these on) to any organisation to whom you supply it. There shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photographs (including by way of example only) any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-news editorial use. The photographs must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form. The photograph shall not be used after 16th October 2022, without prior permission from Buckingham Palace. Letters of condolence sent by members of the public to King Charles III, the Queen Consort and the royal family are sorted by the Correspondence Team at Buckingham Palace in London. Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, over 50,000 letters and messages of condolence have been sent to Buckingham Palace, including 6,500 in just one day after the Queen's State Funeral. Picture date: Tuesday September 27, 2022.
The royal family have received sack loads of mail from well-wishers who felt moved to write and convey their sympathy for the monarchy.
Victoria Jones

One card was printed with the words “we are thinking of you” above a crown, and many letters were addressed personally to the new monarch “His Majesty King Charles III”.

Before the Queen’s death, Buckingham Palace would have expected to receive up to 1,000 letters a week from members of the public with various queries or goodwill messages.

The palace said all letters are carefully read and responses will be sent, as the small correspondence team processes the thousands of items sent to the King, his Queen Consort and other members of the royal family.

The Queen, the nation’s longest-reigning monarch, died from old age, her official death certificate shows.

The Princess Royal has already disclosed she was with her mother during her last moments but the document confirmed what was suspected on the day – some of the Queen’s children and grandchildren tried in vain to be at her bedside.

The certificate released by National Records of Scotland noted the time of the Queen’s death on Thursday September 8 as 3.10pm at Balmoral.

NEWS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE. NO MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS, MEMORABILIA or COLOURABLY SIMILAR. This photograph is provided to you strictly on condition that you will make no charge for the supply, release or publication of it and that these conditions and restrictions will apply (and that you will pass these on) to any organisation to whom you supply it. There shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photographs (including by way of example only) any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-news editorial use. The photographs must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form. The photograph shall not be used after 16th October 2022, without prior permission from Buckingham Palace. Letters of condolence sent by members of the public to King Charles III, the Queen Consort and the royal family are sorted by the Correspondence Team at Buckingham Palace in London. Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, over 50,000 letters and messages of condolence have been sent to Buckingham Palace, including 6,500 in just one day after the Queen's State Funeral. Picture date: Tuesday September 27, 2022.
Pictures were taken at Buckingham Palace earlier this week showing some of the thousands of letters being opened by members of the royal household’s correspondence team.
Victoria Jones

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