Godalming couple open card from Queen Elizabeth II on the morning of the day that she died

Tricia and Ray Pont celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on the 8th September.

Author: Ellie CloutePublished 15th Sep 2022

A Surrey couple are among the last people to receive a letter from Queen Elizabeth II, for their Diamond Wedding anniversary, which was the same day that the late Sovereign died.

Ray and Tricia Pont signed for the card on Tuesday, but put it in a place of pride on their piano and waited until their anniversary to open it, on September 8th.

Ray told us: "In fact, it comes in an envelope with Buckingham Palace on it, and we had to sign for it at the door.

"Obviously, I saw Buckingham Palace embroidered in, and Tricia said 'wow', but we deliberately didn't open it until the morning of our wedding anniversary which was Thursday."

Having been an admirer of the Queen throughout her life, Tricia had dropped hints about getting something from the monarch, but thought it had been forgotten.

Their daughter, Jacqi, had asked them for their marriage certificate, which was then given to their granddaughter Paige who organised it all.

Tricia now hopes to pass the card down through the generations in her family:

"It was amazing, there's no doubt about it. We were just so thrilled, we were thrilled for our family, because it's something I want to pass down through them.

"I'm a very keen genealogist and I wanted them to have that for the future."

Tricia has also had the privilege of representing Girlguiding at a garden party at Buckingham Palace. Whilst she didn't speak to the Queen, she saw her come down the line, and represented Girl Guides.

For Ray and Tricia, it was a day of mixed emotions for their wedding anniversary. What started with a memorable card from Queen Elizabeth II, turned to a sad afternoon after their daughter texted them whilst they were out for lunch that the Queen had been taken ill at the time.

Jacqi text Tricia and Ray to say that their card may be one of the last that people get, which then led to them going home early from lunch.

"We just sat glued listening to the radio, watching the television, except, we then knew that we were in a very proud position and very honoured."

As Tricia has represented Guiders across the county, since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, and receiving their card, she's had many messages from people they haven't heard from and seen in decades, which they said was lovely to hear from people at the time of both an achievement and mourning.

For Tricia, Ray and their family, like many others, they spent time earlier this year celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.

Their 18-year-old granddaughter Paige, who organised the card for them, walked down Winchester Cathedral to escort the colours, representing Girlguiding during the youth service, and stood at the alter whilst the flag was lowered.

She also was selected for the official Hampshire County Jubilee Service after a call from the Bishop.

Tricia and Ray have two children Jacqi and Stephen, who will now receive the card as it's passed down through their family. Paige is one of their four grandchildren, with Freya, Cameron and Bailey all also being their for their grandparents for their anniversary, and after the news of the late Queen passing.

All couples who reach 60 years of marriage receive a card of congratulations from the monarch.

Tricia has always been a royalist, and visited Buckingham Palace when she was younger, with her sister and parents.

She said: "I've followed her a long time. My parents took my sister and I to Buckingham Palace the night before the Queen got married.

"She was then Princess Elizabeth, and her husband-to-be came out on the balcony, and my little sister and I both stood on the railings, and that was 1947."

Guildford Cathedral also has a brick that was signed by the late Sovereign, which is also a special place for Tricia:

"My Father was in the Surrey Regiment, and of course there's a Surrey Regiment Chapel at the Cathedral, so it's very meaningful to me."