To the outside world, Queen Elizabeth II was a figurehead, surrounded by regality and protocol. But she had a family, some of whom knew her as “granny.” This fact is made once again relevant by an old letter Queen Elizabeth hand-wrote herself, addressed to Prince William.
The note, short but full of meaning itself, was penned years ago but has recently gone viral following the queen’s death on September 8 at the age of 96. She died surrounded by many of her loved ones, including Prince William, who is her grandson through her son Prince Charles and his late wife Princess Diana. The official Twitter account of the Royal Household Mail shared her letter online, where it has received extensive attention.
A handwritten letter penned by Queen Elizabeth has gone viral
"William, I hope you enjoy opening this each day, Granny"- A card written in the hand of #QueenElizabethII & sent to the young #PrinceWilliam obviously along with an advent calendar. It was purchased from a former employee of #PrincessDiana. pic.twitter.com/qo6j882yUb
— Royal Household Mail (@RealRoyalMail) October 25, 2022
On October 25, the Royal Household Mail account shared a post labeled, “A card written in the hand of #QueenElizabethII & sent to the young #PrinceWilliam obviously along with an advent calendar.” The letter itself, written by Queen Elizabeth herself reads, “William, I hope you enjoy opening this each day, Granny,” scrawled across Buckingham Palace stationary, complete with an official letterhead. It was originally written 25 years ago.
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According to the caption, the letter itself had been in the possession of an unnamed former employee of the late Princess Diana. It was sold to Boston’s RR Auction and, back in 2016, was auctioned off for an estimated $1,000.
Glimpses into royal family life as a family
An RR Auction spokesperson called this letter “a seldom-encountered piece of correspondence from within the royal family, enhanced by its fitting Christmastime association.” Indeed, letters like this and candid videos of the royal family members behaving like any other parents paint a different picture from the distant opulence of palace life.
The spokesperson mentioned Christmas and its importance. Indeed, the royal family has many traditions for the winter holiday, such as a luncheon held at Buckingham Palace; this had traditionally been hosted by the queen, but other members host Christmas parties throughout the season. Queen Elizabeth would also head to her favored and donate to local charities. This will mark the first holiday season without the monarch there for the family.
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