King Charles tells of ‘enormous fun’ during party at Acapulco holiday resort
A letter from a young King Charles to a friend and hotelier has revealed details of a holiday he spent in a luxury Mexican beach resort while serving in the Navy.
A letter from a young King Charles thanking a friend for a luxury holiday in Mexico has been shared (Image: PA)
A letter written by a 25 year-old King Charles thanking a friend for “the greatest possible fun” at the party resort of Acapulco has emerged over half a century later.
The then Prince of Wales had been serving in the Royal Navy when he made a stopover at the Mexican beach town in 1974 and stayed at the upmarket Las Brisas resort.
In the letter, the head royal recalls a raucous final night spent at the luxury beach resort hotel known for having swimming pools off each room, thanking his host for “enormous fun”.
The five page hand written letter addressed to American hotelier Col Frank Brandstetter on the 3 April 1974 reads: “Your party on the last night was the greatest possible fun.
“I hope we didn’t behave too roughly in the swimming pool or destroy anything as a result.”
Sent from the Caribbean, the young prince admitted that after hearing good things about the hotel from “his own staff, who stayed there in 1970”, he was “suitably impressed and awed” by his own visit.
He ended the letter by saying that he hopes diplomat Henry Kissinger enjoys his honeymoon at Las Brisas, adding: “Judging by my own experience I am sure he will.”
A letter has emerged detailing a lavish holiday King Charles has in the Las Brisas hotel in Acapulco, 1974 (Image: Getty Images)
Then 25 years old, King Charles was serving in the Royal Navy at the time(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
The King served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy during the 1970s and was stationed on board the guided missile destroyer HMS Norfolk and frigate HMS Minerva before joining HMS Jupiter in 1974, the same year that he qualified as a helicopter pilot.
Charles then joined 845 Naval Air Squadron as a pilot aboard HMS Hermes before finishing his active naval service commanding the coastal minehunter HMS Bronington in 1976.
The letter belonged to a private collection and is now up for sale at RR Auction for an estimated £300 ($400).
An RR Auction spokesperson said: “Prince Charles, then a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, was serving as a Ship’s Communications Officer aboard the HMS Jupiter.
“This handwritten letter was sent to Col Brandstetter, a legendary hotelier, corporate executive and US Army intelligence officer, who owned a world-renowned resort in Acapulco, Las Brisas.”
The five page letter is written by Charles to American hotelier Col Frank Brandstetter on the 3 April 1974 (Image: RR Auction/BNPS)
The correspondence is now up for auction 52 years after it was first written by the then Prince(Image: RR Auction/BNPS)
The letter, signed ‘Charles’, reads, in full: “I am afraid it has taken me an uncommonly long time to write and thank you for all you did to make our visit to Acapulco such enormous fun.
“The delay is indicative of the extent to which I have been savouring the happy memories of those all too brief days and the kindness which you displayed to all of us at Las Brisas.
“Having heard so much about your hotel from my own staff, who stayed there in 1970 while I tasted the comforts of Merle Oberon’s establishment, I was longing to see the place for myself & investigate those famous individual swimming pools off each room!
“Needless to say, I was suitably impressed and awed by the brilliant organisation which obviously stemmed from the source of power at the top of the mountain!
“Your party on the last night was the greatest possible fun & I only hope we didn’t behave too roughly in the swimming pool or destroy anything as a result. All I can say is that the food was superb and everyone has been talking about what a marvelous evening it was for days.
“One day I should be most intrigued to see your interrogation papers – if you ever find them!
Previously kept in a private collection, the letter is expected to sell for around £300(Image: RR Auction/BNPS)
“Perhaps I shall be back to Acapulco one day & you can show them to me then. I hope Mr. Kissinger enjoys his honeymoon at Las Brisas. udging by my own experience I am sure he will!”
Loco in Acapulco was released by American group The Four Tops in 1988 and charted at seven in the UK Singles Chart.The sale takes place on February 12.
