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Letter from Queen hidden in Sydney building – and it can't be opened for another 66 years

Queen Elizabeth has written a letter to the “citizens of Sydney” and has hidden it inside one of the city’s most famous buildings.

The contents of the letter are unknown as the letter is unable to be read by anyone for another 66 years.

Across the front of the letter, there are instructions written in cursive scroll from Her Majesty. They were given on November 18th, 1986.

The instructions are as follows:

“The Rt. Hon. The LORD MAYOR of SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA

“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.”

If you’re interested in sneaking a peak early at the letter, that won’t be possible. The letter is behind sealed glass, so you’re unable to even jimmy the glass to open the letter.

What the letter looks like (Source: History of Sydney)

The letter was written after the Queen Victoria Building’s reopening after major restoration works had taken place in 1986.

According to History of Sydney, only the Queen knows what’s inside and it’ll stay that way until the letter is opened.

If you think that you can easily find this letter, you’d be sorely mistaken. The glass fame is in the dome area that has restricted access, according to National Geographic.

Some tours of the QVB will let you have a sneak peak at the letter, but there are nods to the Queen all throughout the building. The official website of the heritage-listed building explains:

"There are many interesting and charming exhibitions and attractions throughout the building, along with portraits of the Queen.

"There is also a letter from Queen Elizabeth II to the Citizens of Sydney to be opened and read by the Lord Mayor of Sydney in the year 2085."

Have you seen the letter? Did you know about its existence? Let us know in the comments.

Tags:
the queen, QVB, queen victoria building, sydney, old letter, letter from the queen