Queen touched after charity names miracle foal Monarch

Monarch was born on 7 April and named in honour of the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee year

Staff at a horse sanctuary who named a "miracle" foal in honour of the Queen said they were "thrilled" to receive a royal thank you letter.

Monarch was born healthy in April to his mother Majesty, who was involved in a road accident while pregnant.

The colt foal was delivered at Redwings in Norfolk and named in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

"Her Majesty is touched by this gesture as well as your kind words of congratulations," the letter read.

The letter received by the horse sanctuary from Buckingham Palace

The charity wrote to Buckingham Palace about Monarch, a Hackney-style colt, whose mother was discovered stuck in railings on a central reservation close to Tilbury Docks in November.

She was treated for a broken nose and chest injuries and her foal was delivered safely on 7 April.

The letter from the Palace said: "The Queen has asked me to thank you for your recent letter in which you informed Her Majesty of the birth of a colt foal at Redwings Horse Sanctuary in April, which has been named 'Monarch' to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

"Her Majesty is touched by this gesture as well as your kind words of congratulations, and I am to thank you for your thoughtfulness in writing to her as you did.

"This letter comes to you, and to all at Redwings Horse Sanctuary, with The Queen's warm good wishes."

Monarch and his mother Majesty are thriving at a horse sanctuary in Norfolk

Monarch was turned out on grass for the first time during the Jubilee weekend.

Redwings chief executive Lynn Cutress said staff wrote to the Queen and were thrilled to receive a reply.

"We imagined that she gets thousands of letters every day so we didn't really expect a reply - but we wanted her to know," she said.

"Monarch has already started to engage with the other horses in his field.

"He is absolutely gorgeous - as is his mother."

Vet Nicola Berryman, who is overseeing the welfare of the mother and son, said: "Monarch is a strapping boy, who's growing quickly and will soon tower over his mum.

"We were all overjoyed when Monarch was born, and we know those who have followed their story so far will love to see them galloping together and frolicking in their new field."