Little Isabella Clarkson could hardly believe her eyes when her mum walked into her classroom clutching a letter from Kate Middleton. The delighted schoolgirl received her royal correspondence after writing to the Duchess of Cambridge to tell her how disappointed she was not to see her during her recent visit to Grimsby on 5 March.
Her initial upset has now been replaced by sheer delight after she received a letter from St James' Palace in response.
It all began when Isabella, 10, and her younger siblings, Alice, eight, and Reuben, four, went along to Havelock Academy in the hopes of seeing Kate during here recent visit to Grimsby. But bad weather and big crowds meant the family only caught a glimpse of the royal's waving hand as her car drove past.
"We were so excited but we hardly saw anything at all," Isabella told a local paper. "I'd spent ages making a glittery banner to hold the night before, but I don't think she saw it."
"It was freezing and all we saw was the car and her hand. We were waving flags and singing the national anthem to keep warm," younger sister Alice said. "I wanted to see her because she's very pretty and kind," little Reuben added."
I wrote a letter to her afterwards saying how disappointed we all were not to get to meet her and then we got a reply," Isabella continued. "My mum was so excited when it arrived at our house that she brought it into school and the teacher read it out to the class. …I'm going to get my letter and photograph framed and keep them forever."
Mum Jackie, 47, remains touched by the Duchess' thoughtful gesture. "It's a lovely thing for her to keep and look back on in the future, especially as Kate will be Queen one day," she said.
In the letter, written at her instruction, pregnant Kate tells Isabella she was "immensely touched that you should take the trouble to write as you did."
"It really was most thoughtful of you and Her Royal Highness has asked me to send you her warmest thanks and best wishes," it reads.
