Princess Charlotte, aged 11, has received a handwritten letter from a young fan in Somerset, handed directly to her father Prince William during a public engagement. The schoolgirl from Ilminster told the future king she had asked Charlotte "a few questions" in the note, including her favourite colour and how old she is. It is believed the schoolgirl is younger than Charlotte.
Letter handed to Prince William
The exchange took place earlier this month when Prince William was handed the letter to give to his daughter. The young schoolgirl shook hands with the future king before passing him the note, which was addressed to Charlotte.
While Charlotte is not a working royal and remains in full-time education, she regularly appears at royal events throughout the year, including the royal Easter church service, Trooping the Colour, and the annual Christmas Day walkabout at Sandringham. At these events, she interacts with fans through selfies and waves from a royal carriage.
Previous letters from young fans
This is not the first time Charlotte has received correspondence from a member of the public. Last year, 10-year-old Grace Barrett sent Charlotte a letter after her mother, Carly Barrett, and grandmother, Alison Madgin, were honoured by King Charles at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. The family runs "Samantha's Legacy", a charity that raises awareness of and works to prevent knife crime.
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared Grace's letter on social media and thanked her for writing. In the letter, Grace wrote: "My name is Grace Barrett, and I'm 10 years old. Just [like] you!" She also told Charlotte: "I'm really proud of them both and feel honoured to be going with them."
Royal Household responds
It is not known whether Charlotte replied to Grace's letter, but her parents acknowledged it. The couple also acknowledged a letter from another young girl named Ivy, who asked whether Charlotte was interested in K-Pop. James Dawson, Head of Royal Correspondence of the Royal Household, wrote back to Ivy on behalf of the family.
Dawson's letter read: "The Prince and Princess of Wales would have me thank you for your lovely letter to their daughter, Princess Charlotte. It was interesting to learn a little about yourself, and your generous words of support for Princess Charlotte were greatly appreciated. You may be interested to know that 'Golden' from K-pop Demon Hunters has been playing during Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace. It was most thoughtful of you to take the trouble to write as you did. Their Royal Highnesses would have me send their warmest thanks and very best wishes to you and your family."
