THE Queen has written a letter to the Telegraph & Argus to thank the newspaper and its readers for a birthday card sent to her following an art competition.

To honour Queen Elizabeth II on her landmark 90th birthday, we held a competition for children across the district.

Hundreds of children submitted their designs to be sent to the Queen on her official birthday, on Saturday, June 11.

The winning card was designed by six-year-old Lia Singh, from Thornton, who was picked from 650 entries to have her card sent to the Queen.

It featured a drawing of a pink crown, emblazoned with green emeralds, next to the number 90 to mark the Queen’s age, and was bordered by a ‘Happy Birthday’ message.

In the letter from Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Lady-in-Waiting Susan Hussey sent Her Majesty’s thanks for the good wishes.

In the letter, she said: “The Queen greatly appreciates your continuing loyalty and support and I am to thank you, very much, for your thought for Her Majesty at this time.”

A card from the Queen herself was also enclosed in the letter, which read: “I send you my grateful thanks for the kind words you have sent to me on the occasion of my 90th birthday.”

After celebrating her 90th birthday on April 21 this year, the Queen celebrated her official birthday on June 11.

Parties and celebrations took place all over the country and the Commonwealth on the days around Her Majesty’s birthday, including several in Bradford.

Street parties took place in Wibsey, Ilkley and Guiseley to mark the special day, and schools all round the district held events to mark the day.

Hundreds of schoolchildren descended on Centenary Square on June 10 as part of a celebration organised by One Britain One Nation, the brainchild of former Bradford police inspector Kash Singh, where crowds gathered to sing the national anthem and to sing a happy birthday to the Queen.

Churches across the district held services to mark the day, with some also holding family fun days to celebrate the Queen’s landmark birthday.

Members of Bradford’s different religious groups came together at the Karmand Community Centre for a party organised by Yorkshire MEP Amjad Bashir.

The tradition of a monarch’s official birthday has been celebrated since 1748, during the reign of King George II.

The Queen’s birthday honours list is also released on her official birthday.

Among those honoured this year were Bradfordians David Bentley and Elaine Rathmell, who received British Empire Medals for their services to scouting and Alzheimer’s care, respectively.