Queen and Prince Philip: Royal romance revealed in UNSEEN adorable Christmas cards
QUEEN ELIZABETH II and Prince Philip have sent Christmas cards to staff since 1951 and the greetings have revealed the sweet romantic history of the couple.
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The Queen and her husband-of-72-years Prince Philip have regularly sent out Christmas cards to their staff since 1951. A series of cards from the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh, who married in 1947, was sent to a married couple working for them over 25 years - and the cards will soon go under the hammer.
On December 7, the candid Christmas cards will be up for auction in Ely, Cambridgeshire and is worth between £100 to £150 per card.
Most of the cards were sent by the Queen and Prince Philip, but a few were also signed by the monarch’s late parents King George VI and the Queen Mother.
The couple receiving the cards worked at Balmoral, the wife in the house and the husband on the estate.
The cards revealed the changing face of the monarchy from the black-and-white post war world to the colourful 1970s.
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They also show how Prince Philip and the Queen’s relationship blossomed and how the couple’s lives have changed since the 1950s.
The first card is from 1947 and was signed by King George VI and the Queen Mother and includes a photo of them at a piano with Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret playing.
The Queen’s father died in February 1952, but the first card to be signed by his daughter and her husband was in 1951.
Roddy Lloyd, from independent auction house Rowleys, said: “These were consigned by the daughter of a couple who both worked at Balmoral.
“She worked in service at the house and the husband was an estate worker.
“The Royal family must have regarded the couple in high esteem and each is signed in ink - 'Elizabeth R' and 'Philip' - part from the earliest which is signed by King George.
“This really is a wonderful piece of history, showing as it does the growth of the Royal family - you can see the children grow up through these photographs.
“It also shows them smiling and enjoying themselves just like any other family.
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“They will appeal to collectors of royal memorabilia.”
The first card sent by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen had a picture of the couple taken on a tour of Canada in the autumn of 1951.
Their Christmas card used this photo of adoring crowds cheering on the royal couple.
The following year the Christmas card saw the first appearance of Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
In 1957, the first Royal Christmas card in colour was sent out.
The photograph shows the Royal Family outside and features Prince Charles playing with the Queen’s corgis.
In 1969, the Queen and Prince Philip bizarrely decided to use a photo of the family on a speedboat.
In 1971 and 1972 they included family photos with all the members in high spirits.
The card from 1972 is the final card in the collection up for auction this weekend.