An approximately twenty-year-old note from Queen Elizabeth II to Prince William is topping headlines.
Reportedly written in the early 1990s, the handwritten note was scribbled on Buckingham Palace letterhead and “accompanied by an advent calendar the queen gifted her grandson,” according to a report in the New York Post.
The brief note, scheduled to be auctioned, reads: “William, I hope you enjoy opening this each day. From Granny.”
The Royal Household Mail posted a copy of the note on Monday. The post “quickly amassed thousands of likes” by Tuesday, the New York Post picked up the story.
The Daily Mail reported that the note was sold to RR Auction in Boston by a former employee of Princess Diana and subsequently sold at auction in 2016.
The note’s route confirms Queen Elizabeth II penned the message before Diana’s death in 1997. Officials suspect it was written 5-6 years earlier and that the late princess kept it as a treasured possession.
A spokesperson from the RR Auction in Boston described the note as “a seldom-encountered piece of correspondence from within the royal family, enhanced by its fitting Christmastime association.” Auction officials estimated the note would sell for approximately $1,500.
Many across social media platforms celebrated the posting of the note, which further endears the queen in the hearts of her people.
One person tweeted: “Aww the sweetest thing.”
Another person respectfully wrote: “We miss you ma’am.”
Many have reported that William enjoyed an especially close relationship with his grandmother. After the queen’s passing on Sept. 8, William paid a special tribute to his grandmother via the following statement:
“I have had the benefit of the queen’s wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade. She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life.”
Speaking of the impact the queen had on many lives, William noted how his wife, Kate Middleton, benefited from the queen’s “guidance and support,” and noted how their three children will cherish memories that “will last their whole lives.”
William added: “My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary queen.”
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