(QUEEN ELIZABETH II.) 1958 Autograph Letter Signed, “Elizabeth R”, to Kate Day, Milliner to Queen Elizabeth.

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A lengthy Autograph Letter Signed (ALS) by Queen Elizabeth II, with fascinating personal content and notable associations to Kate Day, Milliner to Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950's.

ALS. 4pp. on 2 folded sheets of Windsor Castle headed notepaper, dated May 2nd 1958, tiny splits approximately 0.5cm to the edges of the folds without any loss of text, near fine.

The letter reads as follows:

“Dear Miss Day,
It was a most kind thought to send me flowers and I send you my grateful thanks.
I am so very sorry to hear about the great difficulties for your business, and I do feel for you so much. In these days, it must be a continual struggle all the time, and anything extra may be too much to withstand.
If it is any consolation, I do want you to know how very satisfied I have been with my hats and I have always enjoyed wearing them, even the funny ones!
It does make all the difference if one can feel confident about one's hats, and that I can truthfully say, has always been the case with yours.
You have always been so helpful and kind too, and so has Miss Sexton.
Bobo, in confidence, also told me about Mr. Hartnell's sister - how very sad for him. I knew that he had heard bad news of someone, for he was very upset one day at Clarence House, when talking to Bobo's sister Ruby.
Thanking you again so much for thinking of me with my cold - particularly sitting at home with Pall Mall winning The 2,000 Guineas!
Yours Sincerely
Elizabeth R'“

Kate Day started making hats for Queen Elizabeth II whilst she was a Princess and continued to do so after the Coronation in 1953. As the Queen’s Milliner, Kate’s deigns were vital to the Queen’s early and elegant style at royal events. Kate worked from a studio in Mount Street, Mayfair, and was the only Milliner to receive a Royal Warrant in the Queen’s first year on the throne. During the Queen’s Royal Visit to Australia in 1954, a news report in the Sydney Morning Herald commented about Kate: “It is her love of glowing colours which she shares with the Queen and her gift for making hats superbly comfortable that have led to her success.” In addition to her work for Queen Elizabeth, Kate also made hats for celebrities and high society figures of the day.

Norman Hartnell was a famous British fashion designer, who provided many outfits for Queen Elizabeth II. Most notably he designed Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation Gown. Hartnell obtained the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, and had previously obtained the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to the Queen Mother in 1940.

”Bobo” refers to Margaret Macdonald, who was by the Queen’s side for 67 years, firstly as her Nanny, and later as her Dresser, close friend and confidante. Whilst playing hide and Seek with Macdonald as an infant, the Queen would respond “boo boo!” when Macdonald called “boo!”, hence how the Queen affectionately called Macondald “Bobo”. With the exception of close royal family members, Macdonald was the only individual in the Queen’s circle allowed to call the Queen “Lilibet.”

Pall Mall was a horse owned and bred by Queen Elizabeth II, who famously won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on 30th April 1958 as a 20/1 outsider. As referenced in the letter to Kate Day, the Queen did not attend due to illness.

(New York Times; September 25th 1993, June 9th 1979, Victoria and Albert Museum.)

Please contact us for shipping costs if ordering from outside the UK.

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A lengthy Autograph Letter Signed (ALS) by Queen Elizabeth II, with fascinating personal content and notable associations to Kate Day, Milliner to Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950's.

ALS. 4pp. on 2 folded sheets of Windsor Castle headed notepaper, dated May 2nd 1958, tiny splits approximately 0.5cm to the edges of the folds without any loss of text, near fine.

The letter reads as follows:

“Dear Miss Day,
It was a most kind thought to send me flowers and I send you my grateful thanks.
I am so very sorry to hear about the great difficulties for your business, and I do feel for you so much. In these days, it must be a continual struggle all the time, and anything extra may be too much to withstand.
If it is any consolation, I do want you to know how very satisfied I have been with my hats and I have always enjoyed wearing them, even the funny ones!
It does make all the difference if one can feel confident about one's hats, and that I can truthfully say, has always been the case with yours.
You have always been so helpful and kind too, and so has Miss Sexton.
Bobo, in confidence, also told me about Mr. Hartnell's sister - how very sad for him. I knew that he had heard bad news of someone, for he was very upset one day at Clarence House, when talking to Bobo's sister Ruby.
Thanking you again so much for thinking of me with my cold - particularly sitting at home with Pall Mall winning The 2,000 Guineas!
Yours Sincerely
Elizabeth R'“

Kate Day started making hats for Queen Elizabeth II whilst she was a Princess and continued to do so after the Coronation in 1953. As the Queen’s Milliner, Kate’s deigns were vital to the Queen’s early and elegant style at royal events. Kate worked from a studio in Mount Street, Mayfair, and was the only Milliner to receive a Royal Warrant in the Queen’s first year on the throne. During the Queen’s Royal Visit to Australia in 1954, a news report in the Sydney Morning Herald commented about Kate: “It is her love of glowing colours which she shares with the Queen and her gift for making hats superbly comfortable that have led to her success.” In addition to her work for Queen Elizabeth, Kate also made hats for celebrities and high society figures of the day.

Norman Hartnell was a famous British fashion designer, who provided many outfits for Queen Elizabeth II. Most notably he designed Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation Gown. Hartnell obtained the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, and had previously obtained the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to the Queen Mother in 1940.

”Bobo” refers to Margaret Macdonald, who was by the Queen’s side for 67 years, firstly as her Nanny, and later as her Dresser, close friend and confidante. Whilst playing hide and Seek with Macdonald as an infant, the Queen would respond “boo boo!” when Macdonald called “boo!”, hence how the Queen affectionately called Macondald “Bobo”. With the exception of close royal family members, Macdonald was the only individual in the Queen’s circle allowed to call the Queen “Lilibet.”

Pall Mall was a horse owned and bred by Queen Elizabeth II, who famously won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on 30th April 1958 as a 20/1 outsider. As referenced in the letter to Kate Day, the Queen did not attend due to illness.

(New York Times; September 25th 1993, June 9th 1979, Victoria and Albert Museum.)

Please contact us for shipping costs if ordering from outside the UK.

A lengthy Autograph Letter Signed (ALS) by Queen Elizabeth II, with fascinating personal content and notable associations to Kate Day, Milliner to Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950's.

ALS. 4pp. on 2 folded sheets of Windsor Castle headed notepaper, dated May 2nd 1958, tiny splits approximately 0.5cm to the edges of the folds without any loss of text, near fine.

The letter reads as follows:

“Dear Miss Day,
It was a most kind thought to send me flowers and I send you my grateful thanks.
I am so very sorry to hear about the great difficulties for your business, and I do feel for you so much. In these days, it must be a continual struggle all the time, and anything extra may be too much to withstand.
If it is any consolation, I do want you to know how very satisfied I have been with my hats and I have always enjoyed wearing them, even the funny ones!
It does make all the difference if one can feel confident about one's hats, and that I can truthfully say, has always been the case with yours.
You have always been so helpful and kind too, and so has Miss Sexton.
Bobo, in confidence, also told me about Mr. Hartnell's sister - how very sad for him. I knew that he had heard bad news of someone, for he was very upset one day at Clarence House, when talking to Bobo's sister Ruby.
Thanking you again so much for thinking of me with my cold - particularly sitting at home with Pall Mall winning The 2,000 Guineas!
Yours Sincerely
Elizabeth R'“

Kate Day started making hats for Queen Elizabeth II whilst she was a Princess and continued to do so after the Coronation in 1953. As the Queen’s Milliner, Kate’s deigns were vital to the Queen’s early and elegant style at royal events. Kate worked from a studio in Mount Street, Mayfair, and was the only Milliner to receive a Royal Warrant in the Queen’s first year on the throne. During the Queen’s Royal Visit to Australia in 1954, a news report in the Sydney Morning Herald commented about Kate: “It is her love of glowing colours which she shares with the Queen and her gift for making hats superbly comfortable that have led to her success.” In addition to her work for Queen Elizabeth, Kate also made hats for celebrities and high society figures of the day.

Norman Hartnell was a famous British fashion designer, who provided many outfits for Queen Elizabeth II. Most notably he designed Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation Gown. Hartnell obtained the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, and had previously obtained the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to the Queen Mother in 1940.

”Bobo” refers to Margaret Macdonald, who was by the Queen’s side for 67 years, firstly as her Nanny, and later as her Dresser, close friend and confidante. Whilst playing hide and Seek with Macdonald as an infant, the Queen would respond “boo boo!” when Macdonald called “boo!”, hence how the Queen affectionately called Macondald “Bobo”. With the exception of close royal family members, Macdonald was the only individual in the Queen’s circle allowed to call the Queen “Lilibet.”

Pall Mall was a horse owned and bred by Queen Elizabeth II, who famously won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on 30th April 1958 as a 20/1 outsider. As referenced in the letter to Kate Day, the Queen did not attend due to illness.

(New York Times; September 25th 1993, June 9th 1979, Victoria and Albert Museum.)

Please contact us for shipping costs if ordering from outside the UK.