Carrie Johnson has shared a rare glimpse of a keepsake given to her by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
On the Queen’s first death anniversary, Boris Johnson’s wife took to social media with a touching snapshot of a handwritten note which was reportedly left on her pillow during a visit to Her Majesty’s beloved Balmoral estate.
She shared a snapshot of the handwritten note which read: “Ma’am, Her Majesty will be wearing an ice blue cocktail dress for dinner this evening.”
Alongside the picture, Carrie, 35, penned: “Kept this note that was left on my pillow when we stayed at Balmoral. How lucky I feel to have got to meet and speak with her a little.”
The little memo was sent by the late Queen Elizabeth in order to prevent a potential fashion clash. To have Carrie turn up at the special occasion wearing a strikingly similar ice blue garment would have been a royal fashion faux pas.
Queen Elizabeth II was renowned for wearing vibrant outfits spanning the entire rainbow. From bright hues to pretty pastels and clever colour-blocking, Her Majesty inevitably commanded attention in her technicolour garments.
The Duchess of Edinburgh has previously spoken about the Queen’s love of rainbow colours. Speaking in a 2017 documentary titled The Queen at 90, the mother-of-two revealed: “She needs to stand out for people to be able to say ‘I saw the Queen’.
“Don’t forget that when she turns up somewhere, the crowds are two, three, four, 10, 15 deep, and someone wants to be able to say they saw a bit of the queen’s hat as she went past.”
Aside from numerous celebrity tributes in honour of the late Queen’s first death anniversary, members of the British royal family were quick to share their thoughts on what would have been an incredibly emotional day.
King Charles was amongst the first to pay tribute to Her Majesty, opting to share a personal message over on social media which read: “In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us.
“I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during this year as we do our utmost to be of service to you all. Charles R.”
His Majesty and Queen Camilla marked the poignant anniversary in private at Balmoral – the late Queen’s beloved Scottish bolthole.
The King and Queen paid a special trip to Crathie Kirk for private memorial prayers alongside a very small number of Balmoral guests.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, meanwhile, chose to pay their respects with a touching message about how much they “missed” their cherished family member.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), the royal couple wrote: “Today we remember the extraordinary life and legacy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth. We all miss you. W & C.”
Elsewhere, Princess Eugenie shared an unearthed image of her late grandmother enjoying a blissful moment in the sun. “Thinking of you today,” she penned in the caption.
“Missing you so much but remembering what a life of service, love and dedication to everyone and to your family, who loved you so very much.”
