Royal Reply Amazes Salisbury Care Home Poet Jennifer

A Salisbury nursing home resident who wrote and sent the Queen a poem as a Diamond Jubilee tribute has spoken of her joy and amazement in receiving a reply.

Jennifer Whitaker, a fan of wordplay who lives at Colten Care’s Braemar Lodge, penned and sent off the nine-line verse shortly before the national celebration in June.

It accompanied a letter from the Stratford Road home summarising how residents and staff would be marking the occasion.

Neither Jennifer nor anyone else at the home expected to hear back, but amid great excitement a letter with a Windsor Castle masthead arrived at reception.

It was addressed to ‘Braemar Lodge residents and staff’, sent care of Jackie Cash, Home Manager, and signed and dated in blue ink by Lady-in-Waiting Mary Morrison.

In the typed note, Mary writes:
“The Queen wishes me to thank you for your letter in which you told Her Majesty about your preparations for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

“Her Majesty was pleased to hear about your celebrations and hopes you had a wonderful time and have enjoyed sharing your many memories of special Royal events in times past.

“I am also to say how touched The Queen was by the warm tribute to Her Majesty composed by Mrs Jennifer Whitaker.

“The Queen much appreciates your thoughts for her and your kindness in writing as you did in this historic year.”

When staff showed Jennifer the letter, she said:
“I just couldn’t believe it. I was thrilled. I felt quite overcome and emotional.

“The Queen really is a marvellous lady and for her to have instructed such a response is amazing.”

Jackie said:
“We accompanied Jennifer’s poem with a summary of what we had planned for the Jubilee, including our garden party, making a mosaic tribute and attending the lighting of the Beacon on Old Sarum.

“We had been waiting with cautious anticipation for a possible reply but when you think of the thousands of messages the Queen must receive, especially recently with the Jubilee, it’s astonishing that she and her staff took the time to respond to us.

“We’ve given the letter of reply to Jennifer to keep. She is overjoyed by it. We’re having it framed and I’m sure it will have pride of place in her room.”

Reflecting on her poem, Jennifer said:
“I’ve always written poetry, ever since childhood. I call it ‘doggerel’, comic verse that doesn’t necessarily have a rhythm.

“My tribute to the Queen simply flowed, and it seemed absolutely fitting to send it to Her Majesty in this Jubilee Year.”