The letter was given to her parents to mark the 1937 Coronation of King George VI.
For the first time ever, the public can read an adorable handwritten letter that an 11-year-old Queen Elizabeth wrote to her parents in 1937.
The note was addressed 'to mamma and papa' from 'Lilibet by herself' to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI. Lilibet is a nickname for Her Majesty given to her as a child and even used by the Duke of Edinburgh to warmly address her throughout their 73-year marriage.
The Queen, aged 11, wrote this account of her father, George VI's coronation. The title page reads:
— Royal Collection Trust (@RCT) January 23, 2019
The Coronation
12th May; 1937 :
to mummy and papa
in memory of their coronation
from Lilibet
by Herself.https://t.co/RdptRwVIhT#nationalhandwritingday #handwritingday pic.twitter.com/BDQZvC0HPN
The Royal Collection Trust has made the letter public where little Lilibet provided a detailed description of the goings-on during the Coronation, following the abdication of George's brother, Edward VIII. According to the official website, The Royal Collection Trust, which was established in 1993, "looks after the Royal Collection, one of the most important art collections in the world, and manages the public opening of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. Through our work, from exhibitions and learning programmes to publications and retail products, we aim to ensure that the Royal Collection and Palaces are valued and enjoyed by everyone."
11-year-old Queen signed handwritten note 'to mummy and papa' 'from Lilibet by herself' https://t.co/thaWgZucWk
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) May 17, 2022
According to The Mirror, the heartwarming letter includes details such as how she and her sister Princess Margaret were so excited on the morning of the event that they couldn't even finish their breakfasts. They watched excitedly through the window as well-wishers cheered the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The soon-to-be Queen also wrote about her attire for the occasion, wearing "little gold bows all the way down the middle". The future monarch explained that the sisters went to King George and Queen Elizabeth's bedroom to greet their parents and "kissed mummy, and wished her good luck" before the whole family headed to Westminster Abbey. The royal's letter was signed off Lilibet, the affectionate nickname used by Her Majesty's family and also the namesake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter.
According to The Daily Mail, in several letters revealed in Philip Eade's 2011 book Young Prince Philip: His Turbulent Early Life, the name was used by Philip to address his partner. One such letter included the one he sent to the Queen Mother two weeks after his wedding to Princess Elizabeth in November 1947, where he expressed his vision for their time together. He wrote: Lilibet is the only thing in this world which is absolutely real to me and my ambition is to wield the two of us into a new combined existence that will not only be able to withstand the shocks directed at us but will also have a positive existence for the good... Cherish Lilibet?
References:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/queens-note-signed-lilibet-herself-26993082
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Topical Press Agency | Hulton Archive
