The darling yacht is being, as always, a haven to return to after very busy days.
I am off to Birkhall next week but gather that the Dee is EMPTY of fish. Isn’t it ghastly – poor Pearl, poor Brown. I will let you know how empty the Long Pool, Red Brae, Polveir, Little Polveir, Fir Tree etc are.
Lots of love darling Charles from your very devoted Granny
8 July 1969 to the Earl of Snowdon
Clarence House
Dearest Tony,
I thought that the whole setting of the Investiture at Carnarvon was so perfect and arranged with such marvellous taste that I feel I must send you one line of heartfelt congratulation on a really super result. I know how much thought and hard work you must have put into this immensely important piece of our island history and everyone was thrilled by the beauty of the scene. Tony, I thought the scarlet chairs were marvellous and the delicate structure of the covering to the dais most beautiful. It is so lovely to know that this day, so important, to you, is also a sort of turning point for the people of our country. You’ve done so much to achieve this, well done.
Your loving mother in law,
ER
4 December 1969 to the Duke of Edinburgh
Clarence House
Dearest Philip,
I was so grieved to hear the sad news this morning,* & this is just a little note to give you my loving sympathy & to assure you of my affectionate thoughts & prayers.
However much one longs for someone to be at peace, the break with the past & with one’s childhood is very painful to bear.
I do feel for you with all my heart.
Your loving Mama in law,
Elizabeth
12 February 1970 to Lady Diana Cooper
The Royal Lodge
My dear Lady Diana,†
Your delightful luncheon party was such a treat last week, and I could not have enjoyed it more. To meet dear friends in such an enchanting setting is ideal, and it was specially nice to see Noël [Coward], who is rather elusive nowadays. I thought that Little Venice is too charming for words, so white & watery & elegant, and I loved seeing you again, in your own heavenly house.
Thank you a thousand times for asking me & for being so kind to me.
I am, ever,
Yours affec:
Elizabeth R
10 August 1970 to Benjamin Britten
The Castle of Mey
Dear Mr Britten,
I was so very touched that you and Mr Pears should have arranged that heavenly afternoon at Sandringham, and I don’t think that anybody could ever have had a more perfect birthday present.
It was the kindest idea on your part, and gave me the greatest possible pleasure, not to mention the rest of the audience who were blissfully happy with the lovely programme and glorious singing.
There are some things in one’s life that are memorable and I shall never forget the concert at Sandringham or the wonderfully kind and generous thought that made it possible.*
With again my warmest thanks to you both,
I am yours very sincerely
Elizabeth R
PS I open this letter, to add further grateful thanks! The record of ‘Les Illuminations’ has arrived and Ruth and I have played it several times and listened with the greatest joy. There is no sound here except the shushing of the sea and the crying of the seabirds, & this music is exactly right for the atmosphere here of sea & sky and & silence.
Thank you very very much, I find it extraordinarily moving. ER
14 August 1970 to the Prince of Wales
The Castle of Mey
My Darling Charles,
I was so very touched that you should give me such a beautiful birthday present, and I am absolutely thrilled with the glass bowl. The inscription is so marvellous and I assure you it will be one of my real treasures. I have not brought it up here, as it is so heavy, this is one of its beauties, for glass should either be very weighty or light as air, and I am already looking forward to seeing it again.
Darling Charles, you are an angel to give me something so personal & so imaginative, and I do thank you with all my heart for your loving thought of your hoary headed aged old crone of a grandmother.
I am looking forward SO much to seeing you all here on the 16th – it is one of my greatest treats to be with the family even for a few hours.*
With my fond love & gratitude, ever darling C, your hoary headed and aged old crone of a Granny
7 February 1971 to the Rev. Anthony Harbottle
Royal Lodge
Dear Mr Harbottle,†
I was so touched by your very kind note yesterday & I do want to thank you for what you said, & also to say how comforting it is to have the assurance of your thoughts & prayers.
As the years go by, though the pain is still there, more & more comes the feeling of thankfulness.
Thankful for the King’s life here, & thankful beyond words to have shared it.
With my gratitude, I am yours sincerely,
Elizabeth R
18 June 1971 to Lady Penn
Windsor Castle
Dearest Prue,
It was so very kind of you & Eric to ask me to lunch and tea AND martinis on Sunday.*
I loved coming, and adored the lovely concert – and meeting so many delightful people.
Benjamin Britten always creates such a marvellous atmosphere when he conducts or plays. It is happy, kind, friendly, & becomes relaxed and excited if that is possible!
He is so charming and natural & kind that somehow the people listening get infected as well. I shall never forget the scene as the helicopter soared into the air. All the dear seeing off party behaving like leaves in the wind, and then the wonderful surprise of that exquisitely arranged portable bar!
It absolutely saved our lives, & there was enough for the Air Marshal as well.
I do thank you with all my heart for giving me such a delicious day. I am so so grateful.
With my love,
Ever yours affectionately
Elizabeth R
3 October 1971 to the Prince of Wales
Birkhall
My Darling Charles,
I was so delighted to get your letter, and to hear a little of your life at Dartmouth.† It all sounds immensely busy, and terribly concentrated.
You have certainly had to put a great deal into very short periods – learning Welsh in a jiffy, learning to fly in an extraordinarily short time, and now learning to be a Naval Officer in a twinkling.
I look forward to the day when you can come to Scotland, stay right on into October! Let it be soon!
We had our last day’s grouse driving yesterday. […] The hills looked too lovely for words, blue & slightly misty, like the bloom on a grape. The last day of the fishing we all fished MADLY, but I had to leave the Streams of Gairn* empty handed, with dozens and dozens of fish jumping and head and tailing and laughing at Pearl and me!
I am so looking forward to having a glimpse of you in Japan. I have ordered a new kimono – and I MUSTN’T forget my fan.†
Lots of love from your TREMBLY OLD GRANDMOTHER
3 December 1971 to the Prince of Wales
Clarence House
My Darling Charles,
It was so lovely getting your dear letter, and I was so interested to hear how your life was turning out on board [the Prince was serving on HMS Norfolk, a guided-missile destroyer], & what sort of people were round you.
Life has been going on much the same here – it is always a very busy time of year made more so by Mummy’s chicken pox, as I had to do the investitures etc. But in a way it was really a boon, as she actually has a REST for a week or so.
There was a delightful day’s shooting here on Monday (of course I mean at Windsor). […] it was a glorious still autumn day in the Park, with the sun shining and the oaks looking blue and misty, & a splendid lot of pheasants. Everyone kept on saying, as one does in England, isn’t it a BEAUTIFUL day. I had to go up to London after lunch, & when I go
t to the Copper Horse & looked down the Long Walk, there was nothing to be seen at all – everything completely wiped out by the thickest fog that I have ever seen. Isn’t it extraordinary that you can be basking in blazing sunshine at one moment and then 50 yards away everything blotted out.
There are many worrying things at home at the moment – unemployment is very bad, & so many boys leaving school can’t get jobs. One wishes that one could have a year or even six months of national service of some sort. It does help to prepare people for life, as you know so well. But I suppose that there are practical difficulties in the way. I suppose that after the war there was such an acute shortage of everything that factories sprang up everywhere & labour was short too, & we have now caught up & we were producing too much, & some of it too expensive to sell abroad. One always hopes that things find their own level in the end, but I fear this brings sorrow & worry to many people. […]
But I must not write to you about gloomy news, tho’ all your life I have talked to you freely about EVERYTHING. That is because I love you dearest Charles, & I thought of you SO much on your birthday. I wrote out a telegram, & then thought how the system on board would break down if too many signals came, so I tore it up, & now wished I hadn’t.
A great deal of love from your CRUMBLING OLD GRANNY
Thursday 16 December 1971 to the Earl of Snowdon
Clarence House
Dearest Tony,
Just a line to say how deeply, deeply touched I was by your call this morning and for your most comforting letter. It was very dear of you to write for of course one can’t help minding such venomous observations, especially coming from our revered House of Commons!* I am so grateful not only for your letter but for the kind and loving thought behind it, and I send you my love and heartfelt thanks. Ever your very affect and very old woman, Elizabeth
undated [29 April 1972] to the Lord Mayor of Norwich
[Telegram]
I AM DELIGHTED THAT NORWICH HAVE TODAY BECOME CHAMPIONS OF THE SECOND DIVISION. PLEASE CONVEY MY WARMEST CONGRATULATIONS TO THEIR MANAGER AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE TEAM AND MY BEST WISHES FOR NEXT SEASON IN THE FIRST DIVISION. ELIZABETH R QUEEN MOTHER
20 May 1972 to the Prince of Wales
Birkhall
My Darling Charles,
It is rather curious that I was just thinking ‘I must write to Charles about Brown’* when your letter arrived. It is indeed a terribly sad thing to happen. I never thought of Balmoral or the river without Brown, he is so much part of all one’s happiest memories – that little light compact figure, so courteous & so full of fun & such a pleasure to spend a day with. I really felt very mournful when I went up to fish Suspension and Garlum the other day.
He taught me to fish and my mind went back to the old days & all the fish I had hooked or lost in those lovely pools, & Brown’s sharing one’s thrill at landing a fish, or tactful sympathy when that ghastly empty feeling told one that the hook had come out! […]
When I arrived here a week ago it was absolutely FREEZING. Icy winds, snow pouring down on Lochnagar, the river in flood, & I wondered whether one would ever see the river fishable. However, after two or three days it started to go down, & we have been fishing hard for the last few days. […]
The ground here is covered with primroses & violets & cowslips & anemones, the birches are just coming into leaf, & the cherries are in full flower. It is such a lovely time of year, & such a relaxing one. No changing for dinner – we eat rather early & fish later, and tho’ this week is supposed to be a rest, all muscles ache like fun, backs practically broken in two, shoulders in agony, usually a slight cold in the head & a small chill in the tummy, bruised feet & legs & probably a twisted knee, but it’s all worth it!
I DO wish you were here. […]
A great deal of love darling Charles, from your very devoted
Granny
5 July 1972 to Sir Bernard Fergusson
Clarence House
My dear Bernard
I am absolutely delighted that you are to become a LORD, and I send you warmest congratulations on this honour, so truly well deserved. I think that everyone was pleased to hear the news, & no one more pleased than your guest in New Zealand, your hostess in Britannia & your Colonel in Chief! What nice links they make!
Ever, yours
Elizabeth R
17 July 1972 to Rachel Bowes Lyon
Clarence House
My darling Rachel,
I have spent many happy weekends at St Paul’s Walden, but I really think that this last one was the most heavenly of all!
Everyone was so nice, and the feeling of unhurried relaxation was perfect. One moved from one pleasure to another so smoothly; from Church (always so nostalgic) to that lovely walk round the garden (all the new paths), on to that peaceful visit to Simon and Caroline, & a joy to see those darling children, marvellous lunch, no hurry, just lie in the long chair & read, wander down to the pond, happy tea, & calmly off to the Canadian log cabin. Lovely day, darling Rachel, ending with the greatest treat in the world, to hear Joyce* doing her inimitable and wonderfully funny and touching selections.
Thank you a million times, it was all blissful, with much love ever your devoted
Elizabeth
17 August 1972 to the Duke of Edinburgh
The Castle of Mey
Darling Philip,
I have hung your lovely picture† over the fireplace in the dining room, where it looks absolutely perfect.
It really has made all the difference to the room, and the colour is exactly right, as it reflects the light and sky outside which I can see from where I sit. I am enormously grateful to you for giving me such pleasure, thank you a thousand times.
With my love, ever your affec Mama,
Elizabeth
6 March 1973 to the Earl of Snowdon
Clarence House
Dearest Tony,
I cannot tell you how greatly I enjoyed the lovely lunch party on Sunday. To eat marvellous food in the company of dear friends in a very pretty house is my idea of bliss! It was all such fun and having dropped David back at school I went to Royal Lodge in a daze of martinis, red wine, that excellent yellow stuff and CHAMPAGNE. It took me a few hours to surface!
Your affec.
ER
27 June 1973 to Edward Cazalet
Clarence House
My dear Edward,*
I cannot tell you how grateful I am to you for making my visit to Fairlawne on Monday so much happier than I could have dared to hope. I did dread the saying goodbye to Jim & the lads & the jockeys, and the horses, and you were so kind and understanding about it all, that I managed the goodbyes without actually crying. I really cannot thank you enough, for I am sure you must have felt very sad yourself. I am sure that the happiest moments of my life, since the King died have been at Fairlawne, or in disasters or triumphs on the racecourse with Peter. He was a strong and splendid person, and I do feel so deeply for his family at this moment.†
With all my thanks, & my heartfelt hopes that glorious Fairlawne will go on to be a happy family home. I am, Yours affec
Elizabeth R
29 June 1973 to the Prince of Wales
The Royal Lodge
My Darling Charles,
I have just been down to the little greenhouse to see how the melons are getting on, and of course I instantly thought of YOU! I had a happy memory of you coming after polo, and sitting in the saloon with a huge slice of melon. It made me wish so much that this could happen again. Of course it will, and not before too long, I hope.
I have just seen two big great squirrels on the terrace outside my window as I write. The dogs are after them, but they are up the big oak tree. There are far too many healthy young ones just now. I must get the keeper to have another blitz on the horrid things.
Mummy and Papa went off to Canada on Monday – I never feel quite happy until they are back again.
We seem to be very short of Counsellors of State, at the moment there is o
nly Anne & me to do the papers & receive the Diplomats […] as Margaret is away, so I look forward madly to the time when you are home again, not only for your physical presence darling, but for your signature as well!
I do hope that you are having an interesting time, to help to combat the ‘being away’* feeling. We do all miss you terribly and long for your return. I still think of that lovely family weekend at Balmoral, as a sort of glorious oasis. Wasn’t it lovely being together & walking up Glen Beg, & laughing & chatting. A time to remember.
Otherwise life plods on, with Ascot over, garden parties coming, hospitals to open, galas to attend, & it all makes one so deeply grateful for the marvellous peace of this little house. I have come down for a night, & am now off to Devonshire, & back to London on Monday.
I lunched at Blenheim on Tuesday (things in Oxford) and at Hatfield on Wednesday, & it was fascinating thinking of the difference in the two houses, the magnificence of 1720 and the also magnificent but much more domestic architecture of Tudor days. It is lovely that they survive and are lived in.* However, nothing beats Windsor!
Lots of love, darling Charles, from your very loving GRANNY
14 December 1973 to Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears
[Telegram]
MAY AN IGNORAMUS OF A MUS DOC HONORIS CAUSA SEND HER GRATEFUL THANKS TO TWO BELOVED MUSICIANS FOR THEIR CHARMING MESSAGE OF WELCOME. SHE ALSO WOULD ADD A HOPE THAT THEY WILL SPEND A HAPPY
AND JOYOUS CHRISTMAS†
ELIZABETH R QUEEN MOTHER
20 February 1974 to Benjamin Britten
Clarence House
Dear Ben,
I cannot tell you how greatly touched I feel that you would like me to be Patron of your glorious Festival. Of course I would be delighted to be associated with one of the best things that has happened to England’s music, and I do hope that I can have another chance to come to a concert during the summer.
I hope also that you are really beginning to feel better & stronger after such a bad time – the hours pass so slowly when one is not well, and you must be longing to get back to what in ‘horse parlance’ is called strong work.‡ I don’t really feel that I am half musical enough to have the honour & pleasure of being your Patron, but I accept with joy, and am deeply grateful that you should wish me to be linked to Aldeburgh in this happy way.
Counting One's Blessings Page 58
