When I was young, it was about the time of the 50th birthday of H.M. the Queen, in 1976.
I don't recall if anything special was made of it in the United Kingdom itself, as there had been some pretty big commemorations of the Silver Wedding (25th) Anniversary of H.M. the Queen and H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh in 1972, and there was to be even more commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the accession to the throne, of Elizabeth II in 1977.
So perhaps her 50th birthday got eclipsed between the two other commemorations.
But anyway, it was on her 50th birthday that I sent H.M. the Queen a birthday card.
It was such a big expensive first-class high-quality tasteful card that my signature alone looked lonely, and so I solicited more signatures, a number which ultimately covered the inside of the front cover of the card, and the back of the card.
I thought nothing of it, and was surprised when I received an answer.
After which began a tradition of sending a card--of congratulations, of good wishes, of condolences--to H.M. the Queen every time something of significance occurred for her, always signed by lots and lots of other people.
Usually classmates in college, co-workers, customers in bars I habituated, people walking along the sidewalk, and one time, about 30 members of the University of Nebraska football team.
This was never a prank; the sentiments were always sincere.
I always received an answer.
It got to where the teenaged son of a co-worker of mine wrote to H.M. the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II, and received back five or six letters from Amelianborg Palace in Copenhagen.
Royals have class.
Recently, because of my story about David Hunter, I made contact with an old friend with whom I had been out of touch for, oh, twenty years or so.
He had gotten married inbetweentimes.
He had sent an invitation to H.M. the Queen, for his wedding.
I must say the stationery used by Buckingham Palace is of top-notch quality, and really thick paper. The red embossed seal is raised significantly.
One wonders what sort of answer, if any, one would get from Ma Kettle in the White House.
