A rare Royal Red Cross and double R.V.M. group of six attributed to Miss Annie Fletcher, King Edward VII’s nurse for many years

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class, E.VII.R., silver-gilt and enamels; Royal Victorian Medal, V.R., silver; Royal Victorian Medal, E.VII.R., silver; Coronation 1902, bronze; Coronation 1911; King Haakon VII of Norway Coronation Medal 1906, all unnamed as issued and mounted on bow and tails, nearly extremely fine (6) £1000-1200

Ex John Tamplin Collection.

Miss Annie Fletcher began hospital training in about 1889. She nursed King Edward VII at the time of his operation for appendicitis in 1902, when the coronation had to be postponed because of his illness. She subsequently received the Coronation medal in bronze and was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in silver (V.R. effigy). She remained in the service of King Edward and Queen Alexandra, and accompanied the Queen to Denmark in February 1906 for the funeral of her father, Christian IX, who had died on 29 January. On 26 February 1906, Miss Fletcher was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in silver (E.VII.R. effigy) for her services on this occasion, a rare double award in the period before the introduction of Bars for second awards. Later in the same year she received the King Haakon VII Coronation Medal.

In 1909, Miss Fletcher was awarded the Royal Red Cross, this award being published in the London Gazette of 9 November 1909 as follows: ‘The King has been graciously pleased to confer the decoration of the Royal Red Cross upon Miss Annie Fletcher, who has been a hospital nurse for twenty years, in recognition of devoted service rendered by her to His Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen since 1902.’

Miss Fletcher nursed King Edward in his final illness and after his death in May 1910, she was attached to Queen Alexandra’s Household as a nurse and dresser. At the time of the award to her of the Coronation Medal in 1911, she was described on the roll as Dresser to H.R.H. Princess Victoria, daughter of Queen Alexandra. Miss Fletcher remained with Queen Alexandra until 1925 when the Queen died, and she probably retired at that time. Sold with comprehensive research.