Schoolboy, 5, receives one of Queen’s last letters in reply to his drawing of her

A five-year-old schoolboy who had written to the Queen has received what is believed to be one of the last letters sent on her behalf before she died.

CJ Sherwood had been learning about Queen Elizabeth II for the Platinum Jubilee with his ‘papa’, great-grandad Ian Boyle, and was so inspired that he wrote to her.

The primary school pupil from Corby, Northamptonshire, had eagerly been waiting for a reply and was sad when he heard she had died, our sister title the Northamptnshire Telegraph reports.

After visiting St John’s Church to say a prayer and write in the book of condolence he returned home – where a letter stamped by Buckingham Palace was waiting for him.

His mum Casey Lawrie said: “Back in June he sent a letter to the Queen with a drawing of her that he had done. We had been learning all about the Queen around her Jubilee and he really gained an interest."

‘Dear Queen’

CJ’s letter said: “Dear Queen, I hope you are feeling better. My papa helped me draw this picture and I coloured it. I hope you like it. Lots of love CJ Sherwood, age 5."

Casey, 25, said: "He was sad to hear the news of her passing away and questioned me why the Queen hadn’t wrote back to him. I just said she has been poorly and was probably very busy with other duties.

"On Friday we visited St John’s Church in Corby, our home town, to write our condolences and say a prayer. We returned home to a letter stamped by Buckingham Palace. I couldn’t quite believe it."

The letter was stamped Wednesday, 7 September, one day before the Queen’s death, and had been written at Balmoral Castle dated 4 September.

In the letter, one of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting wrote: “The Queen wishes me to thank you for your letter with which you enclosed a portrait of Her Majesty which you have drawn with a little help.

“The Queen was glad to hear from you and I am to thank you for your thought for Her Majesty in this, her Platinum Jubilee year.”

‘Over the moon’

Casey said: “He was over the moon. It had a personal reply on behalf of the Queen, which he was astonished by. He was incredibly happy. It was probably one of the last batches of letters sent out on behalf of Her Majesty. It’s amazing. I know a lot of people probably wrote to the Queen but it’s super special.”

The letter is to be kept safe by CJ – after being shown off to his school friends.

CJ said: “I want everyone to know that I got a letter from the Queen.”

Events to mark the death of the Queen continue this week, as part of Operation London Bridge.