Vintage Mourning Funeral Cards From Buckingham Palace 1952
Code: 14625
£215.00 Approx $269.76, €250.58, £215
(1 in stock)
(1 in stock)
Qty
For sale is a rare set of mourning cards and correspondence sent from Buckingham palace in 1952.
On February 6, 1952, after a long illness, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dies in his sleep at the royal estate at Sandringham. Princess Elizabeth, the older of the king’s two daughters and next in line to succeed him, was in Kenya at the time of her father’s death; she was officially crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, at age 27.
The first letter in blue dated February 1952 states:
“To Her Majesty The Queen Mother Your Majesty, May I most humbly and respectfully offer you my heartfelt sympathy in the sudden and sad loss of our beloved King. I have a deep affection and gratitude for the way you have both supported and and shared our many trials in the turbulant years of your reign. May God bless and comfort you and guide our new Queen. I am 90 years of age and have learned to bless "The Hand that Guided and the Heart that Planned". My prayers are with you all. I beg to remain, Your Majesty's most humble servant, Hannah Cottam (sgd:)”
And on the reverse of the blue letter it states:
“Newton House Chapel Road Alderley Edge Tel Alder 17 Edge Cheshire To Her Majesty The Queen Mother Your Majesty, May I most Humbly and respectfully offer you my heartfelt sympathy in the beloved King.”
Buckingham palace has responded to this blue letter stating the following:
“ BUCKINGHAM PALACE 27th February 1952. Dear Mrs. cotta I am commanded by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, to thank you most warmly for your message of sympathy. Her Majesty is deeply touched by your kind thoughts. Yours sincerely, Cynthia Spencer Lady-in-Waiting.”
This letter is sent from Buckingham Palace in 1952, and is hand signed by Cynthia Spencer.
Cynthia Ellinor Beatrix Spencer, Countess Spencer DCVO OBE (née Hamilton; 16 August 1897 – 4 December 1972) was a British peeress and the paternal grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Cynthia Hamilton was the daughter of James Hamilton, Marquess of Hamilton, later 3rd Duke of Abercorn (30 November 1869 – 12 September 1953) and Lady Rosalind Cecilia Caroline Bingham (26 February 1869 – 18 January 1958). Her maternal grandparents were Charles Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan, and Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox, a daughter of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond, and Lady Caroline Paget.
Hamilton married Viscount Althorp on 26 February 1919 at St James's Church, Piccadilly, London.
Countess Spencer was appointed a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth in 1937. She continued in the role after Elizabeth became Queen Mother in 1952, and remained in post until her death.
She was the grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales. Lady Spencer died at the Spencers' ancestral home, Althorp, of a brain tumour on 4 December 1972, aged 75. The Cynthia Spencer Hospice in Northampton is named in her memory.
Countess Spencer was little known outside court and local circles until, twenty years after her death, Andrew Morton wrote that the Princess of Wales "believes that her grandmother looks after her in the spirit world."
The envelope posted from London 28th February 1952 that holds King George VI Royal stamp on and Buckingham palace royal coat of arms embossed ob the reverse is sent to Mrs Cottam, 11 kings road….
In good condition. This will be sent via Royal Mail Special delivery and dispatched within two working days.
