Letter: Congratulations to all 97-year-olds

David Chantrey
Wednesday 06 August 1997 23:02 BST
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Sir: It is certainly right and proper to congratulate Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on reaching her 97th birthday, as you did today ("97 reasons to be cheerful", 5 August), and I join with you in those congratulations. But are we to assume from your last sentence - "Living to such an age as a cheerfully fulfilled human being - nay, merely - is a wonderful achievement, to be celebrated regardless of social status" - that from now on you will publish similar words of congratulation to all those who reach the age of 97? Or is this privilege still to be restricted solely to the privileged?

The Rev Dr DAVID CHANTREY

Beckbury, Shropshire

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