The King and I: Kitty’s 100th birthday card from Charles III
Southend's Kitty Stern becomes one of the first British centenarians to get an official card from the new monarch
Southend and Westcliff Jewish Community Centre member Kitty Stern this week became one of the country’s first centenarians to receive an official birthday card from King Charles III and The Queen Consort.
Kitty, who has been a regular at the Cobham Road centre for 25 years, said she was delighted to get a 100th birthday card from ‘Charles R and Camilla R’, who sent their “sincerest congratulations and warmest good wishes on such a special occasion.”
The youngster, who has eight grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren, said: “I was so pleased to receive the card on Shabbat by special delivery from King Charles and the Queen Consort.”
It follows a day of special birthday celebrations involving family, fellow members, and volunteers. During the war, Kitty served as a Land Girl, which she says is “one of my proudest lifetime achievements”, along with bringing up five children.
At her party, Jewish Care staff dressed up as Land Girls, while the Lord Lieutenant of Essex came to present her with a bouquet of flowers. “Everyone has made me so happy,” she said. “Everything about it was marvellous. I never expected all of this.”
When she turned 90, Kitty went to Australia to visit her son, and says that now she has turned 100, she plans to go to France to visit her daughter.
Centre coordinator Emma Anderson said: “Kitty has a great character. She’s full of life, so friendly, and always chatting to everyone. She and her husband volunteered at a local hospital for many years and she’s always happy to help people.”
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