ROYALTY – ELIZABETH II Extensive archive of autograph letters, personal memoranda and notes from Elizabeth II, to her Equerry, Brigadier Walter Morley Sale (1903-1976), with various Christmas cards, commissions and other material, comprising: i) Seven autograph letters signed ("Elizabeth R") to Walter Sale ("Dear Walter", "Walter"), the first on her troublesome horse, Surprise ("...most of the trouble comes from overfeeding and under exercise..."), the next thanking him for "...the nice fat cheque..." for the Rover car ("... must have worn better than I thought... the petrol bill will go up these holidays... neither Margaret nor I have had chicken pox, and we're jolly well not going to risk going in the same car as my children!..."), asking about viewing some stallions, the aftermath of a carriage accident ("...Can we sue the woman for damage or dangerous driving?..."), mentioning various horses such as Dove ("...I'm furious!... there is absolutely nothing the matter with her foal... I'm allergic to vets and I can't help it..."), on the State Visit in July 1960 ("...the horses behaved extremely well... everything and everybody got terribly wet, including the inside of the carriages..."), asking his opinion ("...My mother has been given two Arabs from Jordan and doesn't know what to do with them..."), and much else, 24 pages, light dust-staining, creased at folds, 8vo (190 x 120mm.), Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, 19 December 1959 to 2 August 1960 ii) Series of 37 autograph memoranda signed ("ER") to Walter Sale ("Walter"), in ink, with various requests and comments, including asking for riding equipment ("...Can we get two more Pelham bridles... I would like the Portuguese saddle & bridle left in London..."), suitable cars ("...Both Land Rovers open for Friday... Daimler for Derby Day..."), much on horses ("...The new horse in the carriage certainly doesn't like clapping, does he?!... Sea Breeze... is too strong and too good for my sort of once a week riding... he might even be Olympic one day... he and I are not in the same equine category..."), making arrangements to ride ("...warn Lavinia Norfolk that I am bringing a horse on Monday... Can you get hold of Imp for 10am..."), on shooting parties ("...Curtis... has to travel by train from Sandringham every weekend when he brings our shooting dogs... much easier if we could provide a car... will you arrange this please..."), complaining of being banned from the park during a foot and mouth outbreak, her children ("...Please make sure that the ponies are well-exercised... even Anne apparently finds them hard to hold, and Charles will be put off for a certainty..."), and much else, 63 pages on printed memorandum forms, light dust-staining and discolouration, oblong 8vo (114 x 178mm.), 'The Queen/ Buckingham Palace', 3 August 1954 to 16 January 1961 iii) Further autograph material, including long note signed ("ER"), expressing her sadness at seeing Greensleeves go ("...I have never met a pony so completely without vice of any description...") and mentioning visiting Argentinian polo players, 2 pages on lined paper torn from a notebook, 4to, 9 January 1961; memorandum signed with initials ("E.R.") written after the Coronation, 24 June 1954, commenting "...Will you please make sure that the carriages are opened before they draw up in front of us. When we returned to Westminster the other day the carriage was shut and it looked bad, I thought..."; two hurriedly written notes on scraps of lined paper, "Sorry! I forgot! ER" and "I will ride Pegasus. Porchey can have Betsy! ER"; autograph letter from Elizabeth, the Queen Mother signed ("Elizabeth R"), sympathising with the death of a horse, 2 pages, 8vo, Clarence House, 10 June 1958; an autograph note and memorandum from the Duke of Edinburgh, the first suggesting incorporating "...a type of louvre ventilation as fitted in aircraft into the back of the new cars?...", and sending a diagram [not present], the second stating "...The Queen did not like the Humber so unless you can persuade her we are stuck with the Ford...", 3 pages, 4to, [n.d.]; autograph letter of thanks from Prince Edward, and several printed letters of thanks iv) Group of twelve Christmas cards signed by members of the Royal Family and sent to Brigadier Sale, comprising seven signed "Elizabeth R" and "Philip" and dated in ink, from 1955, 1956, 1957 (autopen?), 1958 (undated), 1959, 1960, 1961 (autopen), another undated; three signed "Elizabeth R", one depicting Birkhall (undated), others from 1960 and 1956 (with Devon Loch); two from Mary Princess Royal signed ("Mary"), one addressed "To dear Brigadier Sale" dated 1955, another from 1956, all with gilt monograms, crowns or coronets to outer cover, 248 x 174mm. and smaller, [1950's and 60's] v) Two printed commissions for Walter Morley Sale, one signed ("George R.I.") in ink and dated January 1925, another signed with stamp ("George R"), dated 1948; typed document signed ("Edward R.I") thanking Captain Sale for taking part in the vigil for his father, 23rd to 28th January 1936; printed notice accompanying Sale's coronation medal [medal not present], with envelopes; four printed booklets pertaining to the Coronation of Elizabeth II, Orders for the Processions to and From Westminster Abbey, Administrative Instruction, Administrative Instruction, Part II – Movement Tables, Orders for Troops Lining the Toute Reserves Guards of Honour Salutes to be Fired, folio, 2 June 1953 (collection) 'THE NEW HORSE IN THE CARRIAGE CERTAINLY DOESN'T LIKE CLAPPING, DOES HE?!': AN EXTENSIVE ARCHIVE OF PERSONAL NOTES AND LETTERS FROM ELIZABETH II TO HER EQUERRY. The recipient of our letters, Brigadier Walter Morley Sale, held the office of Crown Equerry between 1955 and 1960 and was appointed Extra Equerry to HM Queen Elizabeth II in April 1961. This was a senior position responsible for the Royal Mews, including oversight of the state horses, carriages and motor cars which would have involved a close working relationship with the monarch. Our extraordinary collection of letters and personal handwritten memoranda therefore offers an unusual insight into the daily workings of the monarchy and the personality of the Queen herself. Written in a friendly, relaxed tone, not only does her love of horses shine though the correspondence, she also demonstrates a deep practical knowledge ("...I agree that the tumour presents a problem, but I've looked at her and everything is very small at the moment..."). She reveals that she relishes the thought of riding challenging horses ("...I know that Surprise can be a horrible ride, but he can be a very good ride as well... like riding on a rubber ball, he was so mad keen to go... I personally enjoy fighting with Surprise and if I can get him going better, then I feel triumphant...") but has the humility to realise when a horse is seemingly destined for greater things ("...he might even be Olympic one day... he and I are not in the same equine category..."). On a personal note she is concerned for Sale's health when he breaks a rib and makes several comments about her children, ruefully commenting that a difficult horse might be tricky to handle "even" for Anne, but might put Charles off riding completely. The memos, hurriedly written on pre-printed forms, are rather shorter, practical affairs and show an impressive grasp of detail, whether it be the logistics of travelling to Balmoral, fixing a car ("...I have changed my mind about the Rolls going to have the shield fitted while I am at Sandringham.... Will be going to Newmarket twice... I must have the most comfortable car for those distances..."), choosing the shade of green for a new Rover, or approving a gift to a foreign potentate ("...Quite agree about the Jubilee Rolls for the Shah... Approve the illuminated shield for Africa..."). Before his appointment to the role of Crown Equerry, Sale had enjoyed a distinguished military career during World War II and, as our archive attests, took part in the vigil in Westminster Hall for the late King George V. The son of a diplomat, he was born in Yokohama, Japan and joined the Royal Horse Guards (Blues) in the early 1920's, attaining the rank of Brigadier. He was awarded the OBE for his services in Palestine and the CVO for his services to the monarch. Provenance: Brigadier Walter Morley Sale (1903-1976) married the Hon. Ismay Hilda Margaret FitzRoy in 1928; his son Captain Charles Richard Walter Sale (b.1928); thence by descent.