A right royal reply has arrived from the Queen thanking Telegraph & Argus readers for their Diamond Jubilee good wishes and celebrations.

We sent Her Majesty copies of our Diamond Decades series of six monthly supplements looking back over the 60 years of her reign and including the results of our children’s Queen’s portrait competition – which attracted more than 3,200 entries – as well as our special editions containing coverage of the district’s jubilee events.

Writing from the Queen’s summer residence, Balmoral Castle in Scotland, her assistant private secretary, Samantha Cohen, makes particular reference to “the wonderful response” to her historic year, highlighting the T&A’s coverage.

The letter, addressed to T&A editor Perry Austin-Clarke, states: “The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for the letter and kind message which you sent me on behalf of yourself and all the readers of the Telegraph & Argus, Bradford, on the occasion of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, and for the series of commemorative supplements which you enclosed.

“The Queen has been deeply moved by the wonderful response to this historic year and Her Majesty was touched to hear about your special Jubilee competition which attracted so many entries from local children.”

In his letter to the Queen, Mr Austin-Clarke said: “I am sure you will have been inundated with such items so I do hope you will forgive me for adding to the pile: I simply felt that so many young people had put in so much effort that it would be wrong of me not to bring it to Your Majesty’s attention.

“On behalf of all the readers of the Telegraph & Argus – and, I’m sure, all the people of the Bradford district – I do hope Your Majesty will accept my most sincere congratulations on achieving such a significant and extraordinary milestone.”

Joseph Myers, eight, was named as the overall winner of the portrait competition. He received an iPad and a £100 voucher to spend at the Kirkgate Centre, Bradford, as well as seeing his portrait of the Queen on the cover of the final Diamond Decades supplement.

Runners-up were Harrison Thresh, six, of Clayton Primary, and Isobel Fogg, 11.