THE Queen never forgets. It is not long since her 70th birthday and she must have received hundreds of cards, plus she has had family trouble and visits abroad.

But the answer to my letter arrived on my door-mat the other day. Later than usual, but nevertheless she has remembered.

I was thrilled because the reply has the personal touch of Kathlyn Dugdale, Lady-in-Waiting, saying: "I am to thank you for your birthday poem."

I know my poem was a bit different, I thought she needed cheering up. It ended with:

"Carry on, you're doing fine It's time to worry when you're ninety-nine."

ADA GIBSON, Grange Street, Clayton-le-Moors.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.