A heartfelt letter from Queen Elizabeth to her midwife has revealed how young King Charles was “growing fat from his enormous appetite” during a trip to Scotland.
The then Princess Elizabeth wrote to her midwife Helen Rowe from Balmoral Castle seven weeks after giving birth to Anne in 1950.
He gave ‘Rowie’ an update on the health of Anne and Prince Charles, who was then 21 months old.
The late Queen told her that they were “getting along very well” and that she “already felt much stronger.”
However, it also revealed Charles’ enormous appetite and even revealed that the boy was putting on weight.
The then Princess Elizabeth with Prince Charles just before his first birthday. The Queen’s personal letter reveals that the little one was growing rapidly during their holiday in Scotland
A four-page letter from the late Queen to her midwife Helen Rowe, written from Balmoral Castle after giving birth to Princess Anne in 1950.
The then princess signed the personal letter simply as Elizabeth. The private letter is now under the hammer and is expected to sell for £3200.
Elizabeth added that the assertive young prince would look at objects he couldn’t reach and say, ‘Mommy, get up!’
He also wrote about how the Queen Mother was “spoiling” her grandson while at Balmoral.
She wrote to ‘Rowie’: ‘We all get along very well here and I already feel much stronger.
“It was great to be back on the hill the second day I was here, but on the third day the jeep that takes you all over the terrain didn’t pick me up and I had to walk to the road, with the result that I strained my knee on something, which has been very effective in keeping me within bounds!
‘However, the air is so good that I feel better every day and, although I still go to sleep in the afternoon, I don’t do it as often now.
‘Charles is gaining weight because he has a huge appetite and exercises a lot.
“I find it extremely difficult to explain when he looks at something he can’t reach and then turns his back meaningfully and says, ‘Mommy, pick up!’
‘She enjoyed the train journey much more than Anne, who didn’t really like the rattling at first, but has slowly gained weight and has lovely rosy cheeks after leaving.
Queen Elizabeth with Prince Charles and baby Princess Anne.
The late Queen smiling with little Prince Charles in 1950, when Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s eldest son would have been about two years old.
‘The sugar in her food is gradually increasing and she doesn’t seem as hungry, often sleeping through bottle time.
‘The children’s grandmother openly spoils her eldest daughter and will do the same to Ana if she gets the chance!’
The four-page handwritten letter, dated 4 October 1950 and on Balmoral Castle letterhead, is estimated to sell for £3,200 at the RR auction in Boston, US.
An RR Auction spokesperson said: “This is a wonderful letter from the Princess, addressing the health of her two young children – Charles, one month shy of his second birthday, and Anne, who was just one month and 19 days old when this letter was written.
The sale of the letter, which has been consigned by a private collector, will take place on July 11.
This is not the first letter written by the late Queen to come up for auction.
In 2017, a letter addressed to the same royal midwife following the birth of Prince Edward was auctioned off.
The handwritten message from 1964 shows the monarch speaking of her “wonderful” baby and telling how he “makes everyone happy”.
Edward, the Queen’s fourth and youngest child, was born on March 10 at Buckingham Palace and five months later his proud mother said he was “as good as gold, trying to sit up and weighing 15 pounds 12 ounces.” .
The single-page handwritten letter, signed “Elizabeth R” on Buckingham Palace letterhead, is dated August 5, 1964, and was sold by Boston-based auctioneer RR Auction.
