A DORSET woman’s collection of letters and photographs charting her great grandmother’s relationship with a Queen are to be auctioned off.

More than 50 items of correspondence from Kate Rube’s friendship with Queen Mary will be sold by Duke’s of Dorchester.

The collection includes a signed framed photograph of Queen Mary with a hand embroidered green silk mount.

Queen Mary was Queen Elizabeth II’s grandmother and the wife of King George V.

Selling off the collection - which is expected to reach more than £1,000 - was a tough decision for Sturminster Newton resident Ann Wilton.

She said: “I’m going to be sorry to part with them, especially the photo frame.

“I acquired the items from my aunt when she died three years ago.

“They went untouched for all that time and then I thought there might be a market for them when I saw that some correspondence from Queen Mary was sold off in this area.

“I was very surprised that the cheques would be worth something. I didn’t think a couple of old cheques would be of interest.”

Mrs Wilton, 68, is unsure exactly how her great grandmother became friends with the Queen.

“I imagine they met at some services do or it may have been through her husband who helped finance the Royal Albert Hall.

“All I know if that they were close friends for a long time.”

Among the lots to be auctioned off are four cheques signed by Queen Mary and a letter detailing the birth and christening of Queen Elizabeth II.

There is also a picture of Queen Mary with the future Queen Elizabeth II from 1927, signed Mary R – x – and ‘little Elizabeth’.

The correspondence dates from the turn of the 20th century into the 1950s.

Mrs Rube’s daughter Lady Elizabeth Gillman continued the friendship with Queen Mary in later years.

The collection will be sold at Duke’s on June 4 and viewings are available on May 30 from 9.30am to 12pm, June 1 and 3 from 9.30am to 5pm and June 2 from 9.30am to 7pm.