Harry Bennett, who has Down’s Syndrome, had asked his teaching assistant if he could write to Her Majesty during an English class, after learning about the Platinum Jubilee.

The year-three pupil at Lytham C of E Primary School, returned to school on the 19th April and was ‘over the moon’ to find the hand-written letter from Queen Elizabeth had arrived during the Easter holidays.

Miss Sally Moore is Harry’s personal learning support worker. She said: “Harry was speechless. It was such a lovely surprise. Deep down I’d been hoping for a reply, but it’s just not something you expect.”

And the whole school has been celebrating too.

“All the class gave him a big cheer when the teacher, Mrs Patterson, read out the letter. He’s been showing it to all the dinner ladies and staff, he’s just so proud.”

Miss Moore even called Harry’s mum, Nic, into the school to share the good news.

Harry, of Whitewood Close, Lytham, came up with the idea during an English lesson. The class had been learning about the Queen’s jubilee celebrations, and he asked his Miss Moore if he could spent his lesson time writing her a letter.

So he wrote that he was ‘very excited’ to celebrate her birthday, and told the Queen that he would be having a party and wearing a hat.

“He wrote it all out himself. He really took his time and used his best handwriting, and then he made a card to go with it.”

Miss Moore posted the letter on February 23, 2022, along with a card and a photograph. The reply arrived during the Easter holidays, and was opened when they returned on Tuesday April 19, 2022.It included two photographs of Queen Elizabeth, a thankyou card, and a letter, signed by Annabel Whitehead, the lady-in-waiting.

Queen Elizabeth II turned 96 years old on April 21, 2022.

But her bigger birthday celebrations will be in June, when she becomes the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of service.