Royal Mail
Introduction
The Royal Mail is the state-owned postal service for the Muggle population of the United Kingdom. While the wizarding community primarily relies on its own system, Owl Post, the Royal Mail is occasionally used for communicating with Muggles or wizards residing in Muggle areas. This interaction often highlights the general wizarding ignorance of Muggle customs, sometimes with humorous consequences.
Role in the Story
The Muggle postal service plays a significant, if brief, role at the beginning of Harry Potter's journey into the wizarding world. In 1991, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's initial attempts to deliver Harry Potter's acceptance letter were made through the Royal Mail to his home at Number Four, Privet Drive. The first letter arrived with the regular post but was confiscated by his uncle, Vernon Dursley. As the Dursleys continued to intercept the mail, Hogwarts escalated its delivery methods, eventually overwhelming the house with hundreds of letters, some of which were still delivered by bemused postmen. Vernon Dursley was particularly outraged by a delivery on a Sunday, exclaiming, “No post on Sundays!” In the summer of 1994, the Weasley family sent a letter to Harry Potter at the Dursleys' home using the Royal Mail. Demonstrating their unfamiliarity with Muggle postage, the envelope was entirely covered in stamps, leaving only a tiny square for the address. This enraged Vernon Dursley, who believed the postman would notice and it would draw unwanted attention to their household.
Behind the Scenes
The Royal Mail is the real-world postal service of the United Kingdom. Its inclusion in the novels grounds the fantastical elements of the wizarding world in a recognisable reality, and its misuse serves as a recurring source of comedy and world-building, illustrating the cultural separation between wizards and Muggles. The film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is faithful to the book in this regard, showing the first Hogwarts letter arriving with the regular post before the more magical owl-based deliveries begin (film).
