Rare royal memorabilia to go under the hammer
A letter written by Queen Elizabeth to her midwife will be auctioned by Boston-based RR Auction.
The one-page handwritten letter on both sides signed “Elizabeth R,” on Buckingham Palace letterhead, dated August 5, 1964. Written from Eastbourne, a letter to “Rowie,” her midwife Helen Rowe, in full: “I am terribly sorry we never got in touch with you before you left London. Mabel was ill in bed when you wrote, and I confess I misread your letter in a great hurry and remembered the wrong day you put down, and when I was away at Arundel last week, I suddenly was reminded of your letter and of course it was too late by then! The baby is wonderful—good as gold, trying to sit up and weighing 15 lbs. 12! He smiles and giggles at everyone, and make everyone happy! Charles, I’m thankful to say, is better but very frail as yet. I hope we see you when we return in October.”
Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, addressed by the queen, who adds her initials next to her personal stamp, “ER.”
On March 10, 1964, Queen Elizabeth gave birth to Prince Edward, roughly 16 years after her first child, Prince Charles.
At this time, the 15-year-old Prince of Wales was convalescing from a bout of pneumonia after having been taken ill during a camping trip with other boys from Gordonstoun School.
A trainee at King’s College Hospital, London, who later transferred to the Middlesex Hospital for Midwifery, Sister Helen Rowe was Britain’s most famous midwife.
Rowe was present for the births of all four of Queen Elizabeth II’s children, as well as for the children of other British elite and royalty.
According to her 1966 obituary in the Glasgow Herald, she disliked the limelight. After a royal birth she would slip quietly away to her home, entering and leaving such places as Buckingham Palace by side doors.
Mabel Anderson was nanny to all four of Elizabeth’s children; she retired in 1981 after 32 years of service.
Also included in the Royal section of this month’s auction is a Queen Elizabeth letter stating, “Goodness, what fun it is to have a baby in the house again!”
The one-page letter signed “Lilibet,” on Buckingham Palace letterhead, March 23, 1964.
Letter to Mary, in full: “What lovely flowers arrived from you today! It was extremely kind of you to send them when all my others had faded and gone, thank you very much indeed for the thoughts and for your congratulations. The baby is flourishing and gaining weight splendidly—he is a great joy to us all, especially to Andrew who is completely fascinated by him. In fact he considers him his own property, even telling Charles and Anne to ‘come and see my baby!’ Goodness, what fun it is to have a baby in the house again!”
The fourth child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Edward Antony Richard Louis was born at Buckingham Palace on March 10, 1964, less than two weeks before this letter was written. A fabulous handwritten letter from the joyous new mother.
Among other items to be featured:
Vintage oversized signed portraits of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip from 1953.
Two original vintage photos of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, including: a glossy 8 x 6 photo of the royal couple feeding a horse at Balmoral Castle, as part of their silver wedding anniversary events; and a semi-glossy 8 x 10 silver gelatin photo of Elizabeth and Philip seated in an open carriage as they make their way to a Royal Ascot meeting on June 16, 1971.
The Fine Autographs and Artifacts auction from RR Auction will conclude on September 13. More details can be found online at www.rrauction.com.