text: Sometimes even the smallest acts of kindness can certainly make an impression on others — even if they happen to be royalty. 
   
   According to Andrew Simes, his grandfather sent a Christmas card to Queen Elizabeth II every holiday season, from 1952 until his death in 2011. When Andrew took up the mantle of card-writing from his late grandfather that winter, he says he received an amazing response from the royal highness herself. 
   
   See also: College kid recruits fake family for Christmas card prank 
   
   Ever since Grandpa could remember, he made sure to send a Christmas card to his king/queen. So naturally, since 1952,... Posted by Andrew Simes on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 
   
   Simes posted on Facebook about the exchange, describing his grandfather's tradition and the Queen's response: 
   
   Ever since Grandpa could remember, he made sure to send a Christmas card to his king/queen. So naturally, since 1952, Elizabeth II kept receiving his mail. As chance would have it, their paths crossed at a reception in Izmir, Turkey in 1972. When it was his turn to be introduced to the Queen, instead of a formal handshake, she paused, smiled, and quipped: "so its you who keeps sending me those lovely Christmas cards." Of all her subjects, Grandpa stood out (perhaps because he mailed his letters from Turkey), but what a memory and level of kindness on the Queen's part. She even wrote him to congratulate him on his 100th birthday. Sadly, Grandpa passed away in the summer of 2011 at the age of 102. As a loyal grandson, admirer and student of his, I took it upon myself to continue writing our Queen every year to show our appreciation. And I started that very first Christmas after Grandpa's passing. In January 2012, about a month after Christmas, I received a letter. The envelope suggested that it was sent from Buckingham Palace. In it was written: "When I received a letter from a different Simes this Christmas, I instructed my office to research your grandfather's whereabouts. Therefore it is with much sadness, I have learned of his passing and extend my condolences to you and your family." I couldn't fight back the tears then, nor can I fight them back every time I remember this story of two people who left a lifelong impression on each other. And today, just as every year, I sent my Christmas cards... but top of the list was reserved for Her Majesty. Wishing you all a Christmas as magical as this story. 
   
   Receiving a letter from the Queen may be even more of a Christmas miracle than a letter from St. Nicholas himself! And it's proof that we should all endeavor to send more Christmas cards — because you never know when they could brighten someone's day. ||||| Notice 
   
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target: – If you're a commoner who wants to get Queen Elizabeth II's attention, apparently it is possible, but it will take decades of work. In a touching Facebook post pointed out by Mashable, Andrew Simes writes that his grandfather had always made it a point to send a Christmas card to his king or queen. Elizabeth had been getting the cards since 1952, and happened to meet Simes' grandpa at a reception in Turkey in 1972—whereupon she told him, "so it's you who keeps sending me those lovely Christmas cards," Simes says. The queen later sent a note on Simes' grandpa's 100th birthday. The older man died at age 102 in 2011, and Simes took over sending the Christmas cards that year—which is where the story gets really poignant. In January 2012, Simes got a letter from Buckingham Palace. "In it was written: 'When I received a letter from a different Simes this Christmas, I instructed my office to research your grandfather's whereabouts. Therefore it is with much sadness, I have learned of his passing and extend my condolences to you and your family,'" Simes writes. "I couldn't fight back the tears then, nor can I fight them back every time I remember this story of two people who left a lifelong impression on each other." He's still sending Her Majesty the annual holiday greeting; see an image here.