A 12-year-old Dublin boy wrote to the Queen to ask her to hand over Northern Ireland to the Republic - and got a response.

Reese Kilbride who attends St Helen's senior national school in Portmarnock, had been learning about the Easter Rising in 1916 when he decided to air his views.

"We were learning about the Easter Rising and how much trouble they brought to Ireland and that they had the six counties - they didn't give back all of Ireland, so I thought they should give it back," he told Newstalk Breakfast.

Reese revealed his mum Fiona Dowling told him he "had to be nice to her, don't say anything mean and put 'Your Majesty' [on the letter]".

He also included a picture of himself, his friend and Queen Elizabeth II with the palace in the background with his letter.

His mum was not aware of the picture he had included, but advised him not to expect a reply.

The letter was posted in February and the Reese received a reply this week.

"I got home and there was a letter open on the counter and it looked like nice paper and it looked official and then I noticed the Buckingham Palace logo," revealed Fiona.

"To be honest I found it quite hysterical."

The letter was signed by Jennie Vine, the Deputy Correspondence Coordinator and said, "The Queen has asked me to thank you for your recent letter in which you wished to tell Her Majesty that you have been learning about the history of the Easter Rising 1916.

"While it was thoughtful of you to let The Queen know of your views, I must explain that this is not a matter in which Her Majesty would intervene. As a constitutional Sovereign, The Queen acts on the advice of her Ministers and remains strictly non-political at all times."

The letter continued, "Her Majesty has asked me to thank you for the pictures you drew especially for her, and I would like to send you and your family my good wishes at this time."

Source Irish Independent

Irish Independent