Meet the Queen’s littlest fan!
Jalayne’s adorable costume has Her Majesty’s royal stamp of approval
Flanked by corgis, dressed in a blue overcoat, hat, gloves and the Queen’s signature pearls, one-year-old Jalayne Sutherland looked like a mini member of the royal family as she smiled for the camera.
Her mother Katelyn dressed her daughter, now two, as the British monarch for Halloween last year after being inspired by their beloved corgi pups Rascal and Jack.
“Jalayne absolutely loves her pups, so we knew we wanted to find a way to include them into her costume – and when you think of corgis, you think of the Queen,” says Katelyn with a smile.
“We couldn’t think of any better way to portray the friendship between Jalayne and her dogs.”
Taking to social media, Katelyn – who hails from the US state of Ohio – shared the cute images with family and friends before sending a letter, including photos of Jalayne’s costume, to the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
The 30-year-old admits she didn’t believe anything would come from it until a very special envelope arrived at her home last month.
“At first, I didn’t know what it was and then my husband cried out, ‘That’s from the Queen– it says Royal Mail at the top!’ We looked at each other in shock,” she tells Woman’s Day.
Inside was a letter with the Windsor Castle insignia from the Queen’s ladyin-waiting Mary Morrison.
“The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for your letter,” she wrote. “Her Majesty thought it kind of you to write to her and the Queen was pleased to see the photograph of your daughter, Jalayne, in her splendid outfit.
“Her Majesty hopes you all have a very Merry Christmas and I am enclosing a little information about the royal pets, which Jalayne might like to have.”
For the Sutherland family, the royal correspondence was the best gift ever. “We carefully opened the letter and read it to Jalayne,” enthuses Katelyn. “We were exhilarated!”
And when the mini-monarch heard the news that royalty had dubbed her outfit “splendid”, she couldn’t wipe the grin from her face.
“Jalayne smiled and we danced in the kitchen together,” recalls Katelyn. “We will be framing the letter and hanging it in her bedroom.”