Marie and Mike Sheppard with the letter Marie received from Buckingham Palace. Photo / Bevan Conley
Marie and Mike Sheppard with the letter Marie received from Buckingham Palace. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui woman Marie Sheppard said she knew it was a long shot ... but she decided to ask for an invitation to the Royal wedding anyway.
"I found the address online and thought it was worth a try ... there was nothing to lose," she says.
An invitation tothe May 19 wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would have been a dream come true and Marie was pleasantly surprised to find an ornate envelope with the royal postmark in her letter box.
But the letter, signed by Jennie Vine, Buckingham Palace deputy correspondence co-ordinator, did not bring the news she hoped - still, she feels "chuffed" anyway.
"It looks like it has been written with a typewriter.
"Do you think they might still use typewriters at Buckingham Palace?"
Vine's response on behalf of the Queen stated that an invitation to the wedding "is not a matter with which Her Majesty can assist you".
Marie and Mike Sheppard with the letter Marie received from Buckingham Palace. Photo / Bevan Conley
Although Marie and her husband Mike would have been happy to drop everything and fly to London for the wedding in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, they say the letter is something to treasure.
"I was ready to approach a New Zealand fashion house and ask for one of their top lines to wear at the wedding," she said.
Originally from the English town of Droylsden in Greater Manchester, Marie has lived in New Zealand since 1982 but likes to keep up with happenings in her homeland, including news of the British Royal family.
She met her New Zealand husband at an Auckland Starbucks in 2003 and the couple moved to Whanganui 18 months ago.
"We love it here and the people are genuinely nice," she said.
Her husband said it had taken a while to get used to people being friendly without having ulterior motives.
"We had become a bit mistrustful living in Auckland but Whanganui people have made us feel very welcome."
