Second World War Veteran Among First to Receive Birthday Card From King and Queen Consort on 100th Birthday

The King and Queen Consort have sent out their first batch of birthday cards congratulating people across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms on celebrating their 100th or 105th birthday.

Among the first recipients was Ruth Park-Pearson, a veteran of the Second World War who celebrated her 100th birthday on Oct. 21.

“I was like ‘my goodness me,'” Park-Pearson told the Scottish Daily Express about receiving the card, which features a 2018 photo of Charles and Camilla on the front.

“It’s lovely because it’s got a lovely gold cord through it with a tassel on the end,” she added.

“It really is a lovely card; I shall keep it very prominent so everyone can see it.”

Reflecting on the milestone, the veteran centenarian — who served as a member of the Women’s Royal Naval Service when the late Queen’s father, King George VI, was on the throne — said the card had put her age into perspective.

“I was serving under her father if you think about it,” she told the BBC.

“You don’t think about it at the time, it’s not until later you realize just sort of how old you are suddenly. You think my goodness me; ‘I remember the old King.'”

The tradition of marking significant milestones with a message from the monarch dates all the way back to 1917, when King George V was on the throne. The correspondents were initially sent to subjects marking their 100th birthday and couples celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. Since then, the program has been expanded to include those celebrating their 100th or 105th birthday, and every year after. Cards are also sent to those celebrating their 65th and 70th wedding anniversaries, and each year after.

During Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign, 1.3 million cards were sent out to mark birthdays and anniversaries.

The program was temporarily suspended during the official mourning period for the Queen, and saw further delays while the design of the new cards were finalized and printed.

Park-Pearson received her card the day after her birthday, capping off a massive celebration of the milestone with her family, which includes six children, 13 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

“Everybody seems to have just gelled all together, you know, the cousins haven’t seen each other for years but they all just gelled nicely together,” she told the BBC of the event. “Even the young great-grandchildren were happy to be with one another.

“So it was a really happy day. I really had a wonderful birthday I have to say.”

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