終於收到白金漢官遲來的回信






是咁的,2011年底有巴打寄信到英國給英女王並獲回函,成為一時佳話:


[ 心繫英國 天佑女王 ] 剛剛收到英女王的回信

http://forum2.hkgolden.com/view.aspx?message=3268555


我都收到英女皇回信喇

http://forum2.hkgolden.com/view.aspx?message=3318533


受到啟發,2012新年到歐洲出差時,停留倫敦的幾天,在當地寄了一封信給英女王。






Her Majesty the Queen
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA
United Kingdom


Your Majesty,


In thirty years this is the first time I have the pleasure to set foot on the gracious soil of the United Kingdom. The experience is especially exciting for a citizen from Hong Kong, considering the historical bond between the Kingdom and the city in the east.


The Hong Kong handover ceremony in 1997, despite 15 years ago, was still clear vision before our eyes. We are all proud to have contributed, and definitely will keep on contributing, to building this unique city that holds the essence of conflicting yet peacefully coexisting cultures from different shores all over the world. I would like to take this chance to pay my respect to the historical inheritance that made the Hong Kong of present day, the British governance, which is a fond memory of many.


It will be Chinese New Year in not over a week. Please allow me to give Your Majesty and everyone in the Kingdom the traditional greeting “kung hei fat choi”, wish you wealth and prosperity.


I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant,


Sir Lau
2012.1.18






因為只是隨興玩票性質,在出發前才匆匆作好打印出來,無甚麼實質內涵也無霸氣鋼筆字,女王身邊的隨從收到也不會如何留意罷?自己都沒怎麼放上心,之後更連這件事也忘記了。所以在四月最後一天收到回信時,感到相當驚訝和興奮。






看郵戳,回信是在自己倫敦寄信正正一個月後的2月20日寄出,郵遞過程中似乎出了點問題(英國經濟不景到連皇室都不夠錢寄空郵?),結果足足兩個多月才寄抵目的地,若非有意外,回到香港不久後就已收到了。






回覆由女侍官(Lady-in-Waiting)代筆,用鋼筆寫在高級信紙上,下半還有摺疊時鋼筆字未乾印了在另一面的墨水印。內容大意是歡迎踏足英國,並謝農曆新年快樂。


雖簡短也不奢望英女王真會知道自己的信的存在,亦不像巴打獲贈女王簽名照那麼收獲豐富,但親身見證過高貴如皇室仍願為某個相隔半個地球的小小平民花點時間心機,教人鼓舞也對英國貴族和皇室們心存敬意。






忽發奇想,其實寄信給英女王,可以成為一個英文X通識誇學科作業。相信很多人在小學或中學,英文課或常識課(如今應叫通識)都做過寄信給自己的功課,若更進一步以「給英女王的信」為題,以個人或全班名義寫信寄到白金漢官,便能為平凡功課加添趣味,若真收到回信,對學生是一種莫大鼓勵,也比傳統功課和教學法更能刺激他們的學習與工作動機。平郵到英國每封郵費約$5,屬可接受成本,加上這樣投函英國皇室未算「反中亂港」之舉,該不會跟國民教育相抵觸,身邊的阿sir miss不妨考慮。


一心想試試的不必猶豫,無需介懷自己(已)跟英國沒關係、身份卑微而不會被重視,只花你一晚幾元,當練練英文也不錯,就算英方沒有回應亦沒大損失。但不試就一定甚麼都得不到。


"Don't stop believin'"