WHEN they heard the Queen was suffering from a bad back, sending "get well" messages and drawings seemed the right thing to do.
They were not expecting a reply so, when a letter arrived from Buckingham Palace, pupils at Anlaby Acre Heads Primary had a right royal surprise.
Delighted headteacher Rachel Robinson rushed into Year 1's class as soon as the letter from the Queen's Lady-in-Waiting arrived.
She read the letter – addressed to Mrs Robinson and the pupils in Drewton Class – to the five and six-year-old pupils.
The message, signed by the Queen's Lady-in-Waiting, said: "The Queen would like me to thank you for your letters and the splendid pictures which you have drawn for Her Majesty.
"The Queen was most grateful for your good wishes and was interested to hear about your celebrations for her Diamond Jubilee. Her Majesty hopes that you all had a very happy time.
"The Queen much appreciated the care you have taken with your letters and pictures.
"Although Her Majesty does not have time to reply personally to all the hundreds of people who write to her each day, she was very glad to hear from you.
"The Queen thanks you once again for your kind thought.
"Her Majesty sends her best wishes to you all."
Pupils at the East Riding primary were hugely impressed.
Year 1 pupil Hollie Cardwell, five, said: "I was happy when the letter came because it was from a palace and she is a real Queen.
"When my friends are poorly, I do them a picture and she was poorly. She had a bad back so I just did her some writing and a picture to cheer her up."
Evie Leech, six, was thrilled with the message.
She said: "We wanted her to feel better when she is at home in the palace.
"I loved Jubilee Day and I would like to live in her palace with her and the prince called Phillip."
Five-year-old Luis Rodriguez was astonished to hear a message had arrived from Buckingham Palace.
He said: "She has been the Queen for 60 years.
"She has dogs and I would like to take them out for a walk with her. I thought I saw one on the way to school this morning."
Mrs Robinson said the Year 1 pupils had decided to send get well messages in October, when they heard the Queen had been suffering with a bad back.
Mrs Robinson was stunned when she opened the reply from the Queen's Lady-in- Waiting.
She said: "It was a bit of a shock. I ran straight through to the children with the letter.
"They all stopped what they were doing and cheered."