1-Year-Old Who Dressed up As Queen Gets Message From Royal in Letter

• One-year-old Jalayne Sutherland dressed up as Queen Elizabeth II with her corgis last Halloween.
• The family sent a photograph of Jalayne to the Queen, and in December, Windsor Castle responded.
• A lady-in-waiting passed on a message from the Queen, who commented on Jalayne’s “splendid outfit.”

A 1-year-old who dressed up as the Queen for Halloween is going viral after receiving a letter from Windsor Castle with a message from the monarch about her “splendid outfit.”

Katelyn Sutherland, who is based in Kentucky, told Insider she dressed her daughter Jalayne as the royal for Halloween after brainstorming costume ideas that would incorporate the toddler’s two closest companions: corgis Rascal and Uncle of Jack.

“Jalayne absolutely loves her pups,” Katelyn said. “It’s almost like they are a package deal, and we couldn’t think of any better way to portray the friendship between her and her dogs.”

Katelyn said she got the idea to send a photo of Jalayne in costume to the Queen after sharing images of the royal-inspired outfit on Halloween in a public post on Facebook, where it received hundreds of likes and comments.

The following week, in early November, Katelyn said she mailed a letter to the Queen and included a photograph of Jalayne in her double-breasted, blue coat, matching hat, white wig, pearls, and gloves.

Then, in December, Katelyn said she received a response from Windsor Castle, as The Sun first reported on Sunday. 

In a letter that appears to be from a lady-in-waiting for the Queen, the Honorary Dame Mary Morrison wrote: “The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for your letter, and for the photograph you thoughtfully enclosed.” 

“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,” the letter continued. Also included in the letter was information about the Queen’s royal pets. 

Katelyn said she sent the photo without any expectation of a response. 

“We were exhilarated and a little in shock honestly,” she said. “It’s something that we will cherish forever.”

Like Jalayne, the Queen has loved corgis since she was a little girl. Since 1945, the monarch has had more than 30 corgis, as Insider previously reported. The Queen now has just one dog, a corgi-dachshund “dorgi” named Candy, remaining.

Representatives for Windsor Castle did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.