For your consideration is an important original 2010 Belgian royal Christmas and New Year card personally inscribed and signed by Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde, Duke and Duchess of Brabantthe future King and Queen of the Belgiansand sent to Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, head of the historic ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and his wife, Princess Carin. The substantial folding card measures approximately 6 8 inches closed and 16 6 inches fully opened. Its cover bears the couples elaborate conjoined PM cipher in raised red printing beneath the Belgian royal crown, while the interior is bordered in red and expressly dated 2010.

Mounted within is an original glossy color photographic portrait showing Philippe and Mathilde with their four children: Princess Elisabeth, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel, and Princess Elonore. The intimate woodland portrait presents the family in coordinated informal clothing, with the children shown at approximately nine, seven, five, and two years of age respectively. Princess Elisabeth would become Duchess of Brabant and heir apparent to the Belgian throne following her fathers accession on 21 July 2013.

The facing page carries Christmas and New Year greetings printed in Dutch, French, German, and English. Above the greeting, Philippe has personally written Dear Andreas, Dear Carin, and beneath it appears the manuscript closing with affection, followed by the individual ink signatures of Philippe and Mathilde. The childrens names are printed below and are not signatures. The intimate salutation and affectionate wording reflect the close dynastic relationship between Belgiums royal house and the senior Saxe-Coburg and Gotha family.

A German administrative stamp reading EINGEGANGEN / 10. Dez. 2010 / Erl. records receipt on 10 December 2010, almost certainly through the recipients household or estate office. Eingegangen means received, while Erl. abbreviates erledigt, meaning actioned or dealt with. A small blind-embossed oval device is also present in the paper. The cards apparent descent from the papers of Prince Andreas and Princess Carin gives it substantially greater historical and dynastic significance than an ordinary signed royal Christmas card. The exterior verso is blank, with only light evidence of handling consistent with its original receipt and preservation.