But I don’t mean to grumble at you, Mother. Anyway, you must look out for any photographs and articles about the royal trip to Canada and America. I shall be making a scrapbook with the Princesses to give to their parents on their return. And I am thinking of starting a Girl Guides group for the girls and the daughters of palace employees.

With love,

Marion x

Quebec, May 1939

Dear Joan,

What an appalling crossing we have had the misfortune to encounter. The Atlantic was bleak and grey, shrouded in thick fog and the horn was blowing incessantly. The melancholy blasts were echoed back like a twang on a piece of wire. We very nearly struck an iceberg. The poor captain was hassled by passengers telling him it was at the exact spot where the Titanic went down. As if they knew!

Landing in Quebec, we were met by an enormous crowd, all wanting to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen. I am told that the fashion papers applaud Mr Hartnell’s designs and are holding the Queen up as a fashion plate. She is very gratified indeed.

We are now on the most vulgar train – a silver, blue and gold ‘streamliner’, I am told. It has a lounge car, offices, two royal bedrooms and many ordinary bedrooms or bunks for the rest of us. Thank God I have a bed, no matter how narrow.

With my highest esteem,

Tommy

Buckingham Palace, June 1939

Dear Mother and Dad,

The royal tour of Canada and America is going very well. Do you see the photos in the Scottish papers? I get every paper each day, for the Princesses are looking for articles to cut out and stick in their scrapbooks.

Lilibet is very interested in the reported speeches that her parents make, and the commentaries of the British journalists accompanying them.

Margaret loves the photographs of her parents looking so elegant or doing something funny.

Did you see the photograph of them at Niagara Falls? Spectacular! And now they are in America. I hear from Ainslie that the venture is going better than he could have imagined.

They are meeting with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the First Lady Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt today or tomorrow. I can’t work out the time differences. I have read that Mrs Roosevelt is very popular and very unaffected in her manners. She’s described as ‘Rather Homespun. Not concerned with balls or grand cuisine. She likes scrambled eggs and something called square dancing.’ Doesn’t that sound fun?

They have been away for nearly three weeks and we are all missing them.

I am missing George terribly, too. Thank you so much for looking after him for me. He is such a dear and praises your dinners so that I worry my cooking won’t be up to your standards.

I can’t wait to be back home for the summer. Christmas with you all seems a long time ago. I’ll let you know my dates as soon as I have confirmation of when the family will be at Balmoral. We might go to the Braemar games again?