With my warmest thanks, I am, ever yours sincerely,
Elizabeth R
2 November 1976 to the Prince of Wales
Clarence House
My Darling Charles,
Thank you so much for your dear letter. I know exactly how you feel about beloved Balmoral.
Somehow the whole place, the river, the mountains & the people are in one’s BONES, and to leave it is really agony. I usually go to the Eagle’s Nest (where the hut is) and walk up the hill behind, for my last look at the hills & trees before leaving for London, and it is always a moment of emotion. I think that we are lucky to have a place to love and to get our roots down, but oh! It is hard to leave.
What a lovely idea to come to you after the Cenotaph.* I would love to do this and I do hope that you will all come back here to lunch afterwards. Crackly potatoes?
I was SO sad not to see you in Scotland, but you were busy, and I know how precious every minute becomes [the Prince was now commanding the minehunter HMS Bronington].
I do hope that Andrew enjoyed his day with you – he was so looking forward to it.
Goodbyeeee, don’t sigheeee, wipe the tear Baby dear from your eyeeee.†
I can’t wait to come aboard at glamorous Tower Pier – why not cruise up the river and anchor off glorious Datchet? Or go aground off glorious Datchet?
A great deal of love from your loving GRANNIE
11 June 1977 to the Duke of Edinburgh
Clarence House
Dearest Philip,
At the end of this most memorable & happy week I just long to write a few lines to say how much you have meant during these 25 years,* not only to darling Lilibet, but to the family and the whole country.
Your strength and wisdom & courage have been such a wonderful help & comfort to us all, and as it is not easy to say these things, I send you a few loving thoughts on paper from a grateful & extremely affectionate Mama, E
Please no answer, just a wink at the Installation on Monday!
29 August 1977 to Queen Elizabeth II
Birkhall
My Darling Lilibet
I simply cannot believe that a whole year has passed since I sat down to try & thank you for another heavenly 2 days (or to be precise 2 1/2) at Balmoral. As usual, it was wonderful being there with you & the family, and I hated leaving you all yesterday.
I was thinking in Church, looking at the row of brawny knees† on your left, how proud you must be of those darling creatures – so good looking & gay & clever. And such good company! How I hope that they will all find dear, charming, pretty, intelligent, kind & GOOD girls to marry! I always feel sad having to say goodbye, & this house seems rather lonely at first. I was so lucky to have had David [Bowes Lyon], & then John [Elphinstone] to be ‘family’ – how sad that they all died so young.
The week hasn’t started very well, as one of the Basset boys has just shut his finger in the car door, & been whisked off to Aberdeen for an x-ray! I was dreading a fly in the eye in this wind, so perhaps a finger is safer, poor little boy.
Thank you a thousand times darling for such a blissful visit, & I hope that you will have a real rest & much enjoyment.
Your very loving
Mummy
2 November 1977 to Sir Frederick Ashton
Clarence House
My dear Sir Frederick
I do want to send you a line of very warmest congratulations and hoorays on your receiving the O.M.*
Everyone is delighted, & when one thinks of your glorious Ballets, and where you have put our English ballet – on a pinnacle, one is full of gratitude – and so thrilled that your genius has been acknowledged in this way.
I am, ever yours,
Elizabeth R
26 August 1978 to the Prince of Wales
Balmoral Castle
My Darling Charles,
I am so thrilled with the beautiful trays, and very touched that you should have given me such a perfect birthday present. It is such a lovely picture of Balmoral that I feel it should be hung up, & not insulted by drops of tea or milk. Thank you a thousand times. I really do love it.
Darling, I can’t tell you how moved I was to read your foreword to the Country Life book.* I don’t deserve such wonderful words, and FAR the best moments of my life in these latter years have been watching you with admiration and deep love, and laughing with you, and discussing with you, and just enjoying being in your company! Hooray for jokes, even moderate ones!
With all my loving thanks from your devoted GRANNY
23 September 1978 to Lady Katharine Farrell†
Birkhall
Dearest Kitty
It was angelic of you to write me such a charming letter about my new appointment,‡ and I am so grateful. I have never seen Walmer Castle and I believe that the outside is romantic and the inside a little austere but I am longing to pay it a first visit. Some day you must come to stay there and we will sing a rousing chorus of ‘I do like to be beside the seaside’.
With my love, ever yours affec:
Elizabeth R
30 December 1978 to Sir Charles and Lady Johnston
Sandringham
Dearest Natasha & Sir Charles*
How could one ever have too many Pushkins!
I am so delighted to have a copy of the American edition, and when one starts reading, it all seems new again, and I am full of delight, and also deep admiration of the tremendous knowledge and skill that has gone into such a marvellous translation.
You are angels to give me such a perfect Christmas present, and I send you a thousand grateful thanks.
With my love, and every good wish for the New Year,
ever yours affect.
Elizabeth R
4 February 1979 to Queen Elizabeth II
The Royal Lodge
My Darling Lilibet
It is almost impossible to believe that those lovely weeks at Sandringham have gone by so terribly quickly! You know how much I look forward to January, plugging through those endless engagements in October & November, I felt encouraged by thinking of the bliss to come, and I can never thank you enough for letting me stay such a long time – I do love being there with you, and soaking in the dear family atmosphere. I feel totally relaxed, & oh! the pleasure of not having to order the food, or ‘can I see you for a few minutes’, and all the bothers of one’s own house. I really feel a new person, and it lasts quite a long time! […]
I have come to the conclusion, that at my age one begins to love a pattern of life. No hurry to get up in the morning, short walk with the dogs past the Church (hopeful), 12.45 off to Anmer or Wolferton, delicious gay lunch, lots of nice people. A little shooting, a look at the mares on the way home, feed the dogs, take them for a walk in semi-darkness, write a letter or two, go down for a drink & a talk – Dinner – BED – lovely calming life, & a real rest.
I am very fond of all your people, & I do hope that R. Fellowes will turn out wise, & a help.*
I went to Sandown on Friday, Fulke [Walwyn] very gloomy about Special Cargo† who had coughed & faded a bit, and I have never seen anyone as surprised as him when the horse won! But the great pleasure for me, was watching dear old Isle of Man sailing over the Railway fences, just like old days, and he only got beaten half a length or so by a good horse that he was giving weight to. He looked like his old self, and was biting his loving lad with great zest after the race!
Back at Royal Lodge with the ground still hard, & not a sign of a snowdrop or an aconite. Margaret is here, well except for a cough, & E. Elphinstone for the weekend.
Darling Lilibet, how can I thank you enough for my happy time at Sandringham, also Philip who was most kind & affectionate to his long-staying M. in L.!
Lots of love from your
very loving
Mummy
24 February 1979 to Queen Elizabeth II
The Royal Lodge
My Darling Lilibet
Your journeys have been very fully reported in the papers, and
I have been reading with great interest all the rather unusual things that you have been doing!* I don’t know how hot hot [sic] it is, but you always look cool.
Here, everything rumbles along in the same old way, strikes everywhere, and yesterday the Civil Service joined in, and even annoyed Dr Owen.† In the old days the C.S. could not strike, but I suppose nowadays they include every sort of nationalised things, and yesterday people arriving by air had a marvellous time smuggling at the airports, because the customs men were on strike!
The Investiture this week went well, & there was a young sailor who had done extremely brave things when there was an explosion in an atomic submarine, & crept through scalding steam in darkness to see what was wrong. I said to him, ‘that must have been a terrible experience’ and he replied ‘Not half as terrible as this’, which was rather nice. He was white with apprehension & fear!
No racing news except that Upton Grey ran on Thursday, jumped badly, & ran abominably. I expect he’s sickening for some disease – I do hope that there is a reason. I must say that it is rather depressing having mediocre horses, and one can’t even run them to see if they are any good.
Charles has got into trouble by saying in his innocent way that management is not good in this country!! It is always fraught with danger if you criticize one side, and everyone is having a lovely time giving their ideas on the subject!
The Tongas came to tea – he has lost 90 pounds, & ate a hearty tea.‡
Darling, your letter has arrived. Thank you a thousand times, it is so full of information & amusing happenings, & I am so grateful – I will keep it carefully for you. How exciting being given pearls, there is nothing nicer, & such a relief not being given huge echoing caskets.
The snow has gone for the moment, & a few snowdrops have come up, but the plants look shrivelled & cold. I can’t wait for you to return, it is horrid when you are away, & what with Margaret in Mustique, the Gloucesters in Australia, Aunt Alice [Duchess of Gloucester] leaving this week – there seems to be nobody of the family except old Aunt Alice [Countess of Athlone] & me, with an occasional Charles.
With a great deal of love,
from your very loving
Mummy
PS I haven’t yet been to see the dogs, because I thought that it might upset them & perhaps they would expect YOU.
25 February 1979 to Princess Margaret
The Royal Lodge
My Darling Margaret
It is so particularly cold this morning that my thoughts winged toward you, hoping that you are nice and warm in Mustique! It must be heavenly, & I trust that all is going well, & that you are really enjoying it all.
Here, things go on much the same, strikes, frost etc! […]
The children came over for lunch yesterday, & seemed very well.* Unfortunately, David can’t come to the Film Performance, because he is leaving school a few days early to go on a geographical expedition. I expect that it will be much more fun than our evening!
I am afraid that there is really no interesting news.
Last weekend Charles came to stay, also quite unexpectedly Nicholas Soames,* & then Hugh van Cutsem† turned up, as his aeroplane couldn’t leave from Heathrow.
I thought, how sickening Margaret not being here, as I know you have some very dull weekends here, and suddenly 3 nice young gentlemen turn up! So annoying. Anyway, they were very nice, & we had a good laugh, & Hugh came to your detested Mattins, & enjoyed it madly! Isn’t it curious, the R.C.s who only have Mass, find the well remembered Mattins very enjoyable.
A lovely ‘diary’ letter‡ has just arrived from Lilibet – I will keep it until your return, to which I am looking forward very much, it is horrid being totally alone in London, except for an occasional look-in from Charles.
Much love darling from your loving
Mummy
15 August 1979 to Lady Katharine Farrell
The Castle of Mey
Dearest Kitty,
I was very touched that you should remember my birthday and I write to thank you and Charles most warmly for such glorious flowers […]
Here one lives at the very furthest tip of these islands, and when the sun shines, the sea is amazingly blue and the quality of the light so lovely. I wish that some day you could come here. One feels so beautifully far away and the newspapers come too late to be readable.
With my love and a thousand thanks,
I am ever yours,
Elizabeth R
26 April 1980 to Queen Elizabeth II
Clarence House
My Darling Lilibet
It seems too shaming that I started to write to you last Tuesday week, on leaving Windsor, and have started several times since, only to be done in by various ailments, really to thank you for another lovely Easter week. It was such luck having that glorious weather, and what with the bliss of picnics at Frogmore, and heavenly ‘family’ evenings, the week went by far too quickly. I do love being at Windsor, tho’ I equally love being at Sandringham, and I am sure that it is quite possible to love different places in different ways, each as much as the other. And then, what about Balmoral! I adore that place. Possibly, as one gets older one’s memories become more precious, and such odd things come to mind. When walking down to Frogmore, I always think of how TIRED I felt, pottering down the hill with Granny & Grandpapa! Curiously enough, I don’t feel half as tired at 79 as I did at 28!! Count your blessings! Ha Ha.
With very much love, and a million thanks for yet another most happy Easter week,
ever your loving
Mummy
22 May 1980 to the Prince of Wales
Craigowan Lodge
My Darling Charles,
I cannot tell you how thrilled and amazed I was to find that huge LOG CABIN sitting so happily amongst the trees by the side of Polveir! It looked as if it had always been there, and I can never thank you & the other kind donors sufficiently for thinking of such a marvellous present.*
And the nicest thing is that I can visualize all the next generations having lovely picnics there, you, & perhaps your grandchildren and great-grandchildren! With the water either roaring or trickling by & the occasional flop! of a fish which refuses to be caught.
The amount of times that I have, muffled up and shivering with cold, sat eating lunch with frozen fingers which are too atrophied to hold a stuffed roll – these days are now past, and I shall bask in the luxury of a wood fire, lolling back in a comfortable chair, and BLESSING you & the family and friends for this total change in my fishing and picnic life. Thank you a million times from your grateful & loving GRANNY
5 August 1980 to Queen Elizabeth II
Clarence House
My Darling Lilibet
How can I ever thank you sufficiently for all the wonderful arrangements that you made for my birthday. St Paul’s, the Garden Party, the Holyrood evening, were all such happy affairs, & enjoyed by everyone who was there.
And now the FUR COAT! Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would actually own one! You are such a kind and loving angel, & I am deeply deeply grateful.
Thank you my darling a million times –
Your very loving
Mummy
5 August 1980 to Princess Margaret
Clarence House
My Darling Margaret
How can I ever thank you sufficiently for arranging two such marvellous evenings at Holyrood and Covent Garden?
Everything was perfection, & what was so splendid, was that not only me, but everyone simply adored them. I know what a lot of trouble you took over the many details, and I am everlastingly grateful.
And then the FUR COAT! The biggest & most exciting surprise of my life. It really was angelic of you & Lilibet to even think of such a wonderful present, and thank you, my darling a thousand times.
Your very loving & grateful
Mummy
22 October 1980 to Queen Elizabeth II
Birkhall
My Darling Lilibet
As you a
re away for so long,* I thought that perhaps you might like to have a word from soaking wet, thick misty, soggy Aberdeenshire! This has gone on for at least four or five days, succeeding the coldest few days that I can remember here! Thick snow on the hills, icy north wind, & frequent showers of snow & sleet! Last Saturday I went over the hill to Brechin & on the top of Cairn o’ Mount looked down on a lovely landscape, golden sunshine & clear blue skies! What a funny climate we live in.
I do hope that all is going well – I follow your journeys in the papers, & now you are with my old pal Bourguiba.† I do hope that you didn’t have to eat soft poached eggs in your fingers, as I had to do at a dinner party with Bourguiba.
I go south on Thursday, pausing to plant a rose tree in Aberdeen en route for the airport. How I do hate planting the first of 80 roses – I had to do it here the other day, & all over the place, & if I ever get to 81 there won’t be any room anywhere in England & Scotland for any more roses, thank goodness.
It seems ages since you left here, & I am so looking forward to your return. I do hope that you have kept well – Italy and N. Africa are bad tummy places, so hope you have a good store of Arsenicum.‡
A great deal of love darling, & to Philip
from your very loving
Mummy
28 March 1981 to Lady Diana Cooper
Clarence House
Dearest Lady Diana,
Once again I am writing to thank you for a perfect lunch party, and a most enjoyable Noon cocktail party. Your neighbours are so delightful and amusing and varied, and it is great fun to watch the famous HOUSE POISON doing its work, voices rising, conversation becoming more & more sparkling, & even the dear faces of the clergy becoming a tiny bit roseate. Oh, it is such fun, and I adore coming to see you, & I enjoy myself madly in the lovely & relaxed atmosphere that you create round you, & I am deeply grateful to you for giving me such a heavenly treat.
With so many heartfelt thanks, I am,
ever yours affec:
Counting One's Blessings Page 60
