A letter written by the late Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle is to be sold at auction.
The four-page note dated October 4, 1950 is written on paper with a Balmoral Castle letterhead.
The then Princess Elizabeth had written to her midwife Helen Rowe, who she affectionately refers to as Rowie, to share an update on her children.
It was penned just seven weeks after the birth of her daughter, Princess Anne.
As the Scottish estate was known as one of the Queen’s favourite places, it is no surprise she had made the train journey north to spend time with her young family.
Queen’s letter sent from Balmoral being sold at auction
The late Queen shares the family were getting on “very well” and she was “feeling very much stronger” following the birth of her only daughter.
She discusses the health of both her children, writing how the newborn princess has got “lovely pink cheeks” while 21-month-old Prince Charles had “an enormous appetite”.
The then 24-year-old adds the young prince was being “spoiled” by his grandmother “quite openly”.
The letter is signed off simply with her name, “Elizabeth”.
RR Auction, based in Boston, is now selling the letter in an online auction – which is expected to make more than £3,100.
The auctioneers have described the letter as “touching” and “wonderful”.
A total of 12 bids have already been made with the next bid sitting at $1,264 – or £999.
The auction will end on Thursday, July 11.
What did the Queen write in the letter?
The full letter states: “Thank you so much for your letter. We are all getting on very well up here and I am feeling very much stronger already.
“It was lovely to be on the hill again the second day I was here, but the third day the jeep which takes one everywhere over the ground missed picking me up and I had to walk down to the road, with the result that I strained my knee on something, which has been very effective in keeping me within bounds!
“However, the air is so good that I feel better every day and though I still go to sleep in the afternoon, I don’t do it so often now.
“Charles is getting fatter as he has an enormous appetite and takes a great deal of exercise. I find it extremely difficult to explain it away when he looks at something he can’t reach and then turns his back meaningly on me and says ‘Mummy, lift!’
“He enjoyed the train journey far more than Anne, who wasn’t too keen on the rattling to begin with, but she has steadily been putting on weight up here and has got lovely pink cheeks after she has been out.
“The sugar in her foods is gradually going up, and she doesn’t seem to be nearly so ravenous, often sleeping right up to bottle time.
“The children’s grandmother is spoiling her eldest quite openly and will do so with Anne if she got a chance! Bobo is back from her holiday but is just as thin! Hoping to see you at the christening.”
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