Handwritten letter written by Princess Elizabeth (later HM Q...

Hammer

£1,250

Handwritten letter written by Princess Elizabeth (later HM Queen Elizabeth II) and sent from Malta to Horace Smith. Dated 24th April 1950. The double sided letter is written on Clarence House, St James's headed notepaper but the 'Clarence House, St James's' has been crossed out and the word Malta written underneath and underlined. The letter states, 'Dear Mr Smith, I send my sincere thanks to you and Sybil for your message of good wishes for my birthday, which I much appreciate. It is lovely out here, and I have become a great polo fan - I even took it up mildly myself when I was out here last year! It is extremely good for one's riding, I find as all the ponies here are so quick that that unexpected turn which they are inclined to do, has one off in a moment! I hope you and Sybil are both well. Yours sincerely, Elizabeth.'
The letter is creased along the centre where it has been folded in half.
Horace Smith and his daughter Sybil ran the Cadogan Riding School and were the riding instructors to the Queen and Princess Margaret when they were children.