German auction house sells letter from Queen Elizabeth

A personal letter from Queen Elizabeth II has been auctioned for 8300 euros. The winning bid was won by a lady from another European country, reported dpa.

This was announced by the Eppi auction house, based in the German town of Stuttgart. The two-page letter, dated 1966, is addressed to the German equestrian Etti Plesch, née Maria Gräfin von Wurmbrand-Stuppach, whose horses won the prestigious Epsom Derby race in England two times.

The queen wrote to "dear Mrs Plesch" that she was "so delighted with the lovely picture" of horses in her country retreat of Sandringham "which I received from you and Mr. Plesch for Christmas."

The then 40-year-old concludes her thank-you letter with the insight that patience is perhaps the most important virtue in horse breeding, as well as a bit of luck.