according to andrew simes , his grandfather sent a christmas , i received a letter .
so naturally , since grandpa could remember , he made sure to send a christmas card to his king queen .
the envelope suggested that it was sent from buckingham palace .
and i started that very first christmas after grandpa passed away in the summer of 2011 at the age of 102 .
receiving a letter from the queen may be even more of a christmas cards — because you never know when they could brighten someone 's day .
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 .
so naturally , since 1952 , elizabeth ii kept receiving his mail .
and today , just as every year , i sent my christmas cards ... but top of the list was reserved for her majesty .
as chance would have it , their paths crossed at a reception in izmir , turkey in 1972 .