1852 royal household envelope addressed to Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, Cambridge Cottage, Kew. Neat blue‑ink secretary hand on the front, with a clean 1d Penny Red tied by Windsor cancellation. Reverse with embossed crowned royal monogram (unattributed) on the flap, characteristic of mid‑19th‑century royal household stationery. Clear circular datestamp: WINDSOR / DE 12 / 1852 / A. Small pencilled “Kent” on reverse, a routine docketing or routing note added after delivery.

Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge (1797–1889), resided at Cambridge Cottage, Kew, and received regular correspondence routed through Windsor. This envelope shows typical presentation and handling for royal household mail of the period.

Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel (Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa; Jul 1797 – Apr 1889) was the wife of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, the tenth-born child, and seventh son, of George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The longest-lived daughter-in-law of George III, she was the maternal grandmother of Mary of Teck, wife of George V.

PROVENANCE:

One of c.2,500+ items once from the collection or dealer stock of Winifred A Myers (Autographs) Ltd, St Martins Lane, London, evidenced by the quantity of Myers pre-printed envelopes and paper folders and the general ‘presentation’ of the items, many having Myers identification notes in pencil. 

Winifred Alice Myers (1909 – 1985) served as ABA (Antiquarian Booksellers Assoc) president, 1950-1952. See the ABA website for an extended article on Myers. Myers left her business, in 1985, to Ruth Shepherd, who traded from home until 2004.