[Idiom] Meaning of "praised in a royal memo"

[romVsen]

Hi all
From an article about prince Charles:
He​ has an enormous private staff— secretaries, deputy secretaries, press officers, four valets, two butlers, housekeepers, two chefs, two chauffeurs, ten gardeners, an army of porters, handymen, cleaners and maids. They are expected to get everything right. When HRH (His Royal Highness) feels they have performed their duties well, they are praised in a royal memo.

What does "praised in a royal memo" mean?

Thank you in advance!

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Is there a word in particular that you don't understand?

 

[romVsen]

Is there a word in particular that you don't understand?

Well,
"Memo" means "memorandum" - a written message. So,what does he do exactly when he "praise in a royal memo"? Just write down something good about these people on a sheet of paper?

Thank you!

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Well, I rather doubt he sits down with paper and pencil and a 'Dear Diary' gaze out a window!

But I can imagine that, just like many a corporate office, The Boss (or an aide) sends out a weekly update on what's going on and, like most of those, there's a sort of 'Employee of the Week' mentioned with perhaps some small prize to keep up morale.

 

[Mrfatso]

Not A Teacher

I think HRH Prince Charles might well write a hand written note using a fountain pen with black ink.
It is known that he hand writes his letters which are later typed up, due to the so called "black spider memos" written to British Government Ministers and officials.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_spider_memos
His hand writing is said to be bad, as if a spider has crawled across the page.
I also doubt much of a prize would be handed out, it is well known here in the UK that the royal staff do not get much in the way of gifts.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Interesting. Thanks for that anecdote.

In the US, handwriting is one word in this usage.

 

[tedmc]

In the US, handwriting is one word in this usage.

So is handwriting in BrE.

 

[romVsen]

Thank you for your answers!

In the original text we have also: "But if they have made mistakes, they are called into his study and told off." Thus, the case "they have made mistakes" has particular consequences.
But for the case "they have performed their duties well" I got the impression that "writing down something good about these people on a sheet of paper" was not so concrete. Thus, I thought about an idiom.

Well, it's English
Thank you!