A BUDDING scientist who wrote to the Queen about his fascination for precious stones was delighted when he got a reply from Buckingham Palace.

Will Bradley, six, from Linstock, near Carlisle, wrote to the Queen at the beginning of the lockdown about the precious stones in the Crown Jewels and about how he would like to see them in London.

In response he got a letter, dated June 12, by a lady-in-waiting, Mary Morrison, who said: “The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for your letter in which you tell Her Majesty about your appreciation of precious stones and about how you would like to visit the Tower of London.

“The Queen was most touched by your thought for her at this time and hopes that you, too, are keeping well during the current situation.”

Also enclosed was an information leaflet about the history of the Crown Jewels.

Will, who goes to Houghton School , said he wanted to be a scientist when he grew up but added: “It is really good that I got the letter.

“I like the detail in precious stones, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies.

“I also like space too, Jupiter is a gas giant.”

Mum, Anna Bradley, 43, said: “My little boy had turned six and he’s absolutely fascinated with things like precious stones and diamond collections.

“It’s also the fact that the Queen had a crown.

“As part of his home schooling we were encouraging him to write a letter to the Queen about his love for precious stones.

“It was in April, at the beginning of the lockdown.

“He was even excited when he took a walk to the local postbox to send the letter.

“At the moment he’s also writing a letter to school to say ‘hi’ to everyone.”

“It was Wednesday last week when a letter with the royal seal.

“He’s a bit of a budding scientist, he loves looking at and finding out about things like diamonds, he’s even found out about the process of how you can make diamonds.

“He loves looking at and finding out about them.

“The lady in waiting is someone called Mary Morrison.

“In the first letter he said that the green emeralds were beautiful so there was a bit of flattery involved.

“I just thought ‘how lovely’ it is just such as personal letter.

“I thought there mught be only a standard response.”

She added that, once lockdown was over, a trip to the Tower of London, would definitely be on the cards.

Anna added: “It is probably one of the first things we ought to do.”

The Crown Jewels are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Tower of London.

It includes the regalia and vestments worn at their coronations by British kings and queens.

They contain 23,578 precious stones including the Cullinan I.

It is the largest clear cut diamond in the world, and is currently set in the Sovereign’s Sceptre.

It was cut from the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found ,in South Africa, and given to king Edward VII, in 1905.