Queen Elizabeth has prevented the sale of a sketch she made 45 years ago for the headstone of her beloved pet corgi. The drawing, which portrays a stone inscribed with the text: "Susan, died 26 January. 1959. For 15 years the faithful companion of the Queen, was due to be auctioned by relatives of former Sandringham employee Robert Marrington.
Just hours before the sketch and two accompanying memos were due to go under the hammer, however, representatives for the monarch stepped in. Insisting the lots constitute business correspondence, they requested the documents be returned to Her Majesty.
Susan was the Queen's first corgi, received as an 18th birthday gift from her parents while she was still a princess. And the newly married Elizabeth was so fond of her pet, she even took the dog on honeymoon with her in 1947.
While the items had a reserve price of just £300, the auction house had already received four-figure offers. The memos which accompanied the drawing pertained to corrections to the original sketch. "I have found the date of Susan's birth – 20th February 1944 – so could you have that inserted between her name and her death on the stone, please. ER," read one note dated February 4, 1959. The other adds: "My only comment is that I think for accuracy's sake, we ought to put for almost 15 years – the rest is quite all right. ER."
A spokesperson for the Sandringham estate explained: "They belong to the Queen and the estate, as they were sent to Mr Marrington when he was an employee… It's State business correspondence which probably innocently got into the possession of Mr Marrington. I'm sure his family didn't realise."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
