AMC Blog - Lycée Mona Ozouf de Ploërmel

Among the many mysteries surrounding the British monarchy, there is one that is particulary intriguing : a letter written by Queen Elizabeth II in 1986 and kept in a safe in Australia. This letter adressed to the people of Sydney, will not be open and read until 2085.

Its content remains completly unknown which fuels many questions.

Why did the Queen leave this message ?

What could it contain ?

This letter is kept in the Queen Victoria Building, a historic building in Sydney. What makes it so special is that no living person today knows what it contains only are instruction is an the envelope « the Mayor of Sydney will have to open it and read it publicly in 2085.

Queen Elizabeth II has had a special relationship with Australia throughout her reign. The year 1986, when she wrote this letter, marked an important turning point for Australia : it was the year the Australia Act was passed. This Act put an end to the United Kingdom’s last legislative powers over Australia strengthening its independence.

As the content of the message is unknown, several theories have emerged : some suggest that the letter could be a message addressed to the British people or the world, reflecting on the evolution of the monarchy and society. Others believe it might mention key events involving the royal family or even reveal sensitive  historical topics that were too controversial at the time. A more playful theory is that the letter could simply be a time capsule with no major political significance, but rather a snapshot of the era it was written in.

Since the exixtence of this letter became known , it has aroused great curiosity. Why did the Queen choose the date 2085 ? What will the world look like when the letter is finally opened ? Will the British monarchy still exist in its current form ?

This mystery is fascinating beacuse it remind us how much history is alive and full of suprises. The letter of Elizabeth II is a kind of royal time capsule, whose content we will not know until several decades.

The secret letter from Elizabeth II remains are of the most intriguing mysteries of the British monarchy. Its opening in 2085 will undoubtedly be a major historical event.

In the meantime, it continues to make people dream and to feed all kinds of theories. Maybe one day we will finally discover what the Queen meant to future generations.

Source : The Independent, Cosmopolitan, Ouest France