Childhood letter from Queen Elizabeth II sells for eye-watering fee at auction | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload ourSocial PartnerWe are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleHarriette BoucherFriday 27 February 2026 23:01 GMTLittle-known facts about Queen Elizabeth IIA childhood letter penned by the late Queen Elizabeth II, when she was around 10 years old, sold for £25,000 at auction in Kent, significantly exceeding its £4,000 estimate.The single-page letter, believed to be written between 1936 and 1940, was addressed to Beatrice Stillman, the head housemaid at Royal Lodge in Windsor.In the note, signed 'Love from Elizabeth', the future monarch inquired about the welfare of birds and goldfish, and requested that primroses she had picked be shared among the staff.The letter was one of several discovered in 2024 in a suitcase belonging to Ms Stillman's niece, Jean Westacott, after her death.Auctioneers noted the letter's historical charm and how it revealed the future Queen's early character, with the archive also containing a note from Princess Margaret.In fullHandwritten letter penned by Queen Elizabeth II as a child sells for £25k at auctionThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in