Norman corgi gets letter from the Queen
A corgi in Normandy has received a personal letter from the Queen. James de Paline lives with Sophie-Anne Drion, 23, in the tabac-presse newsagents in Place St Sauveur, Caen, and Ms Drion and her mother Carol wrote to Buckingham Palace after seeing a TV programme about the Queen’s love of corgis.
Sophie-Anne said: “The programme said she often replies to letters, so we said in our letter that James would be very happy to receive a reply!”
They included photographs of James and his pedigree papers. Carol said: “James comes from a long line of pedigree dogs.”
Several months later, they received a reply from the Queen’s chief lady-in-waiting, Richenda Elton. “We were very surprised because by that point we had forgotten that we sent the letter,” said Sophie-Anne.
In the Buckingham Palace headed letter, Baroness Elton apologises for the delay in responding, explaining that the Queen receives an ‘overwhelming’ amount of post.
“The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for your letter and pedigree certificate and delightful photographs you enclosed, of your much loved corgi, James de Paline.
“Her Majesty was pleased to hear from you, and greatly appreciated your kind thought.”
The Queen has had more than 30 corgis – one even joining her in the James Bond sketch for the 2012 London Olympics.
Now the tabac, which sells The Connexion, has the letter proudly on show in its bathroom. Sophie-Anne said: “James is a very nice dog but a bit stubborn. He’s always with me in the tabac.”
