US Woman Says She Exchanged Letters With Queen Elizabeth Every Year On Their Shared Birthday

A woman in the United States has revealed that Queen Elizabeth II and she were pen pals for the past 70 years, as the two shared the same birthday. 

Like the Queen, 96-year-old Adele Hankey from North Dakota was also born on April 21, 1926. This bond served as the basis for their unlikely relationship when they began exchanging handwritten letters every year. 

According to KFYR, an NBC and Fox-affiliate media outlet, their correspondence began when Ms Hankey sent her first letter to the late monarch shortly after she was crowned in 1953, prompting the Queen to send back a birthday card. 

"I could have jumped out of my shoes," Ms Hankey told the outlet. 

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Thus started a relationship between the two in which they exchanged letters on their shared birthdays, with Ms Hankey writing to her and always receiving a note back. The 96-year-old, who never met the Queen, said that she always made sure to perfect her penmanship. "We had a teacher in school that said make your Ls long and your Es little," she said. 

Further, Ms Hankey revealed that once she even tried to get one of Queen's trademark accessories - her hat. "I was hoping she would send me one. But she sent a lovely picture on her birthday," she added. 

Ms Hankey went on to say that apart from their shared birthdays, the two were also equally passionate about cooking. "The recipes the Queen liked were with marmalade. And so do I," Ms Hanket stated. 

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She said that she doesn't remember how many letters she wrote to the Queen, but she added that she will miss their correspondence. "Oh, absolutely. You miss your pen pals," she said. 

Queen Elizabeth died at age 96 earlier this month. Her funeral will take place today at Westminster Abbey. Over 2,000 people, including royals from across the world and several global leaders, are expected to attend the service.