Ellie is Ballymena’s Royal Correspondent

Ellie Marklew was inspired to write to the Monarch by the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and wasn’t expecting a royal response.

According to her mum, Tracey, her daughter, who is a pupil at Camphill Primary, asked lots of questions in her letter including ‘What is it like to look after the Corgis?’, ‘How heavy is The Crown?’, ‘When does The Queen get her flu jab?’ and, of course, ‘What does The Queen want for Christmas?

“We thought she’ll probably not get a reply but she did,” said her mum.

“Ellie screamed when she got it, she was gobsmacked and the whole family are very proud because this was all her own idea.”

Buoyed by that response, Ellie more recently sent off a second letter which included details about her upcoming birthday and asking HM The Queen about her own birthday plans.

Once again a reply signed by a Lady in Waiting but this time in an envelope stamped ‘Sandringham Palace’ arrived through the Marklew’s Toome Road home.

According to her proud mum, Ellie is already preparing to write back again to her new found penpal and plans this time to make and post off a handmade card for The Queen’s birthday.