Fearnhead seven-year-old writes letter to The King 'sending her love'

Elsie Hattee, aged seven and from Fearnhead, was moved by the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

She decided to handwrite letters voicing her sympathy for the late monarch’s family, having only recently experienced the loss of her uncle during that time.

Elsie’s mum, Toni O'Toole, said: “Elsie was really saddened when Her Majesty The Queen sadly passed away in September.

“After losing our much-loved uncle earlier in the year, Elsie was familiar with how a death can impact a family and the upset it brings.”

Toni explained that her uncle was a well-known ‘character’ in Warrington and went by the nickname of ‘Mushy Banford’.

When he died in April, the family received many bereavement cards, and after seeing this Elsie was compelled to send the Royal Family something similar.

“When Elsie watched our new King Charles III address the nation, she said she could see he was sad and wanted to write a letter, sending her love and that she was thinking of them,” Toni added.

That is exactly what she did, handwriting both the letters and the addresses ready to be posted off to Buckingham Palace.Elsie chose to write to The King and the Prince and Princess of Wales after being saddened by the news of the Queens death in September. (Image: Newsquest)

Toni said of how the family travelled down to London during the mourning period to pay their respects, and Elsie sat on her dad’s shoulders to watch the funeral within the crowds that congregated.

“When we went to London there were hundreds and hundreds of cards and flowers all over the city.

“I assumed the palace would have been inundated with cards and letters of condolences from the millions of people from around the world, and Elsie’s letters were one of so many.

“We were so shocked when she received the first letter back.”

A letter from Buckingham Palace arrived first on November 5, signed by The King thanking Elsie for her ‘thoughtful words’.

Another letter soon followed from Kensington Palace, home of the Prince and Princess of Wales, again showing their appreciation.

Toni said how ‘proud’ the family were of Elsie to write the letters by herself, having seen her struggle with English and writing a lot during school and over the lockdown.

“We were absolutely over the moon for her, and she was thrilled,” her mum said.

“She has told everybody; we would go shopping and she would say to people ‘I have a letter from The King’.”

The family plan to have the letters framed for Elsie to have as a keepsake to remember the experience by.