We are fascinated by Britain’s royal family for mostly the same reason we’re fascinated by Downton Abbey. They remind us of a past ruled by lords and ladies. We get to experience a more romantic time period without having to leave the comfort of our own.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have been together for almost 70 years, and their love story was as grand as their titles would suggest. We now have new evidence in the form of a letter Elizabeth wrote to Betty Shew, an author engaged in writing the souvenir book honoring the Queen’s 1947 wedding. The missive brings us into the then-Princess’ thoughts on her engagement to Philip Mountbatten.
Now, the letter will be auctioned off on April 23 at Chippenham Auction Rooms in Wiltshire, in Southwest England. Presumably you might even buy it.
"This is a wonderfully well-preserved letter written in the Queen's hand. It gives a fascinating glimpse into the life of the then Princess Elizabeth at what was such a significant time in her life," Richard Edmonds, the principal auctioneer, tells the IB Times.
Queen Elizabeth writes of her first encounter, at the Royal Naval College in July 1939, just before the formal start of World War II.
"I was 13 years of age and he was 18 and a cadet just due to leave,” she writes. “He joined the Navy at the outbreak of war, and I only saw him very occasionally when he was on leave – I suppose about twice in three years… Then when his uncle and aunt, Lord and Lady Mountbatten, were away he spent various weekends away with us at Windsor. Then he went to the Pacific and Far East for two years."
She also explores the relationship Philip had with his sports car.
"Philip enjoys driving and does it fast!" she writes. "He has his own tiny M.G. which he is very proud of – he has taken me about in it, once up to London, which was great fun, only it was like sitting on the road, and the wheels are almost as high as one’s head."
Experts say that the price will end up between $1,100 and $1,700.
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