The first known letter written by King James VI to go on show

A childhood thank-you letter written by King James VI of Scotland aged seven is to go on show later this month as part of a new exhibition.

In the letter, the first known to have been written by King James, he thanks his guardian’s wife, the Countess of Mar, for sending him fruit.

It will be on display as part of The World Of King James VI & I exhibition which opens at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait in Edinburgh on April 26.

The exhibition, marking 400 years since his death, will explore the life of the king who was the first monarch to rule over Scotland, England and Ireland after uniting the crowns in 1603.

Artworks, jewels, clothing and precious documents are among the items which will be on show.

Dr Alan Borthwick, head of Medieval and Early Modern Records at National Records of Scotland, said: “These records are rarely seen in public.

“They help us understand James’s remarkable story, from becoming king of Scots as a baby, his mother’s exile, his childhood and going on to become the first monarch to rule Scotland, England and Ireland.”

In the letter, the young James addresses the Countess of Mar, Lady Annabella Murray, as Lady Minny.

She was responsible for looking after James when he was a young boy, and “Minny” is an affectionate old Scots term meaning “mother”.

The young James became king when he was just 13 months old, after his mother Mary, Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate.

He died in England on March 27, 1625.

The exhibition runs until Sunday September 14.