Postcards were one of the biggest crazes of the early twentieth century. The first picture postcard appeared in 1894 and their low cost, huge range of designs and an efficient postal system offering up to four deliveries a day soon made them a national craze. By the outbreak of the First World War the Post Office was delivering a billion postcards a year. The pictures on the front of the cards were colourful and varied - landscape and architectural views, portraits of royalty and celebrities of the day, important events, humorous cartoons, propaganda – any subject matter that might potentially be of interest. As well as sending cards to friends and family, it was fashionable to collect postcards in albums and many people could boast collections of several thousand postcards. Raphael Tuck & Sons, one of the main postcard publishers and the holder of the royal warrant, even organised national competitions for postcard collectors.

There was a unique relationship between the royal family and the picture postcard. They appeared on thousands of cards and were able to share events such as coronation and wedding celebrations with the general public in a new and hugely popular way. At the same time, the royal family were sending and collecting postcards with as much enthusiasm as everyone else. Postcards were a means for the family to keep in touch when separated for long periods by travel and official duties, and to share news and good wishes with their extended family across Europe. Collecting postcards became a popular royal pastime, and has led to the creation of albums that document five continents and many of the major events of the twentieth century.