Dear Mr Cornwell,

For the last thirty years or so, being more precise would be far too alarming, you have provided me great pleasure  by writing novels that I have read over many times. I believe I have a copy of every one published, mostly in paperback, I have watched and enjoyed the productions of Sharpe and of the last Kingdom. I am a fan. And I also was born in Essex.

Enough of the flattery, sincere though it is. My reason for contacting you is concerning the Oriflamme and its fate. I appreciate that there were many produced, that some were destroyed, but also surely some were captured, What happened to them? I have tried to find out bit apart from some reference to one being destroyed in the French Revolution can find no reference to any still in existence.

So I write to you, on whom I place the responsibility for my curiosity, in the hope that you will be able to spare the time to satisfy it.

In any event let me pass on my sincere thanks for conjuring up Sharpe, Harper, Thomas and Uhtred as well as all the other memorable characters you have created.

Regards,

Bryan Mansfield