Mourning Cover - UK

This is rather an interesting cover from a number of directions.

Firstly, I had not realized that mourning covers, the black bordered ones, were still in common usage in the 1950's.

Secondly, the use of official franking in red, the ER stamp in the lower left and the addressee on the envelope, lead me to wonder whether the cover came from the Royal Palace or whatever went as their business office at that point.

And the third thing is simply my ever present curiousity as to whose death is involved here. Anyone out there who can satisfy my speculations?

Backroads, I am guessing that the postmark is Mar 28, 1953. If so, I found after googling "Duchess of Beaufort 1953" that the wife of King George V died on 24 March 1953. In the Wikipedia article, I noted that King George V's wife, Mary of Teck, spent part of the war with her niece, Mary Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort at Badminton House, Gloucestershire. I assume that the correspondence from the Royal Palace was in relation to King George V's wife.

Beautifully written cover.

Hi to all

These covers are still used today in England to notify persons of the death and burial of some-one in the Royal Family or connected with it. Also the Envelopes are still used to notify relatives of persons Killed In Action.
The hand writting looks like that of Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Regards,
Horamakhet

I love the free franking official seal.

Fascinating stuff! I certainly did not think to google the addressee but then if they did not spell out names, dates and relationships, it would not have given me the detail you people did.

I guess that is going to be one cover that will come out of the whatsit box and be worked into some sort of specialty page - somewhere among the Omnibus issues as I don't think I am apt to stumble upon any other Royal ephemera again.

Thank you!