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A letter handwritten by Queen Elizabeth II during her childhood is scheduled to be auctioned, with bids anticipated to reach as high as £4,000. The single-page note, which was addressed to the head housemaid at Royal Lodge in Windsor, features charming drawings of dogs, horses, and children. It also contains a tender inquiry about the well-being of the birds and the goldfish.
The correspondence dates back to the years between 1936 and 1940, when Princess Elizabeth was staying in Praa Sands, Cornwall, and would have been approximately 10 to 12 years old. According to Justin Matthews of Hansons Auctioneers, who is overseeing the sale in Penshurst, the letter is an exceptionally beautiful piece. “In my 27 years in the international auction world I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” Matthews remarked.
Included in the letter are references to primroses that the young princess had gathered and wished to share with the staff at Royal Lodge. This letter is one of several that were discovered, all addressed to Beatrice Stillman, who served as the head housemaid at Royal Lodge. Another letter, written by Princess Margaret, requested that Stillman look after her bathing suit.
A touching connection to the royal family is revealed through the story of Stillman’s family. Following the death of Stillman’s brother-in-law, John Dicker, in an air raid in 1940, the Queen Mother invited Stillman’s sister and her two daughters, Rene and Jean, to play with the princesses at Royal Lodge. The collection of letters was uncovered in 2024 by Jean Dicker’s son, William Westacott, who found them stored in a suitcase beneath his mother’s bed after her passing. Westacott recalled the excitement of seeing the originals for the first time: “We knew the letters existed, but to read them in the flesh was a ‘wow’ moment.” He also shared that his aunt Rene fondly remembered playing in a large playhouse in the garden of Royal Lodge and her experiences with the royal family
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