Amateur historian receives letter from Camilla after sending her photo of her great-grandmother

A historical past buff revealed how the Queen Consort despatched him a private letter after discovering {a photograph} of her great-great-grandmother and mailed it to her at Clarence Home.

Camilla, 75, wrote again to Adam Simpson-York from Ipswich to thank him for sending her the {photograph} of her relative Edrica Faulkner and for writing a typed letter together with her handwritten signature on it.

The Queen commented within the letter, which arrived on letterhead bearing the Clarence Home coat of arms, that she thought her ancestor seemed “a bit unhappy” within the sepia-toned snap.

Simpson-York runs the Medals Going Dwelling Fb web page, the place he reunites households with their ancestors’ conflict medals and forgotten heirlooms.

Scroll down for movies

A correct royal reply! Ipswich-based novice historian Adam Simpson-York scours eBay for heirlooms and pictures, then tries to reunite households with them – and after discovering a photograph he believed confirmed the Queen Consort’s great-great-grandmother he was shocked when he acquired a solution from her

He spends hours scouring eBay and different web sites for treasure, then researches the gadgets in hopes of discovering fashionable family to offer them to.

And on January third he noticed an image on the public sale web site that caught his eye and purchased it an hour later for simply £9.95.

The novice historian stated he was initially unaware there was a royal connection, however when he noticed that the photograph had Edrica Faulkner’s identify on it, a fast Google search revealed the connection to Camilla, born Camilla Rosemary in July 1947 Shand was born.

The sepia snap of Edrica Faulkner that Simpson-York purchased on eBay for about £10 after he linked with Camilla, he despatched her the photograph

Camilla’s mother and father had been British Military officer-turned-businessman Main Bruce Shand and his spouse The Hon. Rosalind Cubitt, daughter of Roland Cubitt, third Baron Ashcombe.

After making the choice to ship it to Clarence Home, he was amazed when the Queen Consort herself replied.

He stated: “That is positively one of the best merchandise I’ve brokered to this point – I am undecided I am going to be capable to ship an merchandise to Queen Consort Camilla.

“However it simply reveals you that what you’ll find on eBay is wonderful.”

A number of weeks after he despatched the photograph, he revealed on his Medals Going Dwelling Fb web page that the Queen Consort had responded with a typed letter and a handwritten signature

Simpson-York added, “I beloved the private contact of her response. It is an awesome feeling to know she took the time to have a look at it and much more thrilling that she’s by no means seen it earlier than.

“Hopefully it was a pleasant shock for her. I can think about there’s a royal archive it might go to.’

Edrica Faulkner is the paternal great-great-grandmother of the Queen Consort and lived between 1822 and 1890.

Not a lot is understood about her besides that she seems to have been the daughter of a touring painter, however she married Hugh Morton Shand in 1857 and so they had three sons together with Alexander Faulkner Shand, Camilla’s great-grandfather.

Mr Simpson-York, 37, who works as a day mailman, arrange Medals Go Dwelling on Fb to move the time through the coronavirus lockdowns.

The again of the photograph reveals the id of the topic – with the Shand surname added in brackets. Camilla’s father was former British Military officer Main Bruce Shand

He first purchased a random medal on eBay to see what he may discover out about its authentic proprietor.

Since then, he has reunited households with their family’ pictures, postcards, binoculars, domino units, and even one particular person with their long-lost father.

The daddy of two says his boys Reuben, 13, and Tate, 9, love his passion and assist out the place they will.

Royal stamp: The historian says he did not anticipate a reply and was shocked to see the crown’s stamp on the ‘personal and confidential’ letter on January 16

Talking of his first sight of Edrica’s picture, Mr. Simpson-York stated, “I solely had the identify on the again, so I entered it into Ancestry and from the outcomes I knew instantly that this was somebody of some significance.

“I messaged a number of individuals who did household bushes together with her and I bought a reply saying there’s a royal connection.

“Then I used Google to do a search and really shortly discovered the connection to Camilla.

“As quickly as I noticed who it was, I purchased it with the intention of sending it to her. it’s what i do

“It is an awesome story too and it was well worth the wait to see how excited my boys had been when the reply got here.

“I used to be positively excitedly impatient and beginning to surrender hope.”

However on January 16, an envelope arrived with Buckingham Palace stamped on the entrance.

Excited, the household tore open the letter, which learn: “Thanks for the photograph of my great-great-grandmother.

“It is the primary time I’ve seen her image, I’ve to say she appears a bit unhappy in it!”

It was signed “Finest needs, Camilla”.

The royal household declined to touch upon the letter.