Queen has written a secret letter that's hidden in a vault and can't be opened for 63 years
A letter written by the late Queen Elizabeth II that lies hidden in a vault in Australia can't be opened for another 63 years.
The note by Her Majesty was written for the people of Sydney and is secretly stored in one of the city’s historic Queen Victoria Building.
The letter has been siting in the building already for nearly 36 years as the Queen penned the note in November 1986 on a state visit.
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Apparently, not even the Queen's personal staff know what was written on the note apart from the strict instructions on the front declaring when it should be opened.
The signed letter by the Queen is addressed to the Right and Honourable Lord Mayor of Sydney, Australia.
It reads: “Greetings. On a suitable day to be selected by you in the year 2085 A.D. would you please open this envelope and convey to the citizens of SYDNEY my message to them."
The building was first opened in 1898 and named in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.
The British monarchy remains the head of state in Australia, with King Charles represented in the country by Dave Hurley, the country's Governor-General.
The late Queen as head of state could have been abolished in 1999, when the country had a referendum to decide if they wanted to become a republic.
Voters opted against the change with 54 percent of the population declaring they would like the Queen to remain as their head of state.
Her Majesty visited Australia 16 different times while she was on the throne, with her first visit coming in 1954, just two years after she became Queen - following the death of her father King George VI.
When the Queen visited the country for the first time in 1954, she was the first reigning monarch to step foot on Australian soil.
The rest of the Royal Family have been no stranger to Australia, too.
Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence also toured Australia earlier this year.
In that tour, Princess Anne opened 200th Sydney Royal Easter Show, which she first opened in 1970 with her parents and brother King Charles.
Prince William and Kate Middleton - now Prince and Princess of Wales - were also due to take a trip to Australia in 2020 but it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Callum Jones