Why is Queen Elizabeth writing to this man?

At 88, Boman Kohinoor of iconic Iranian eatery Britannia & Co. Restaurant, is a walking history lesson who's just been added with a chapter on Queen Elizabeth II. Here's the story behind a letter he just received from the Windsor Castle

Sitting at the far end of the high-ceilinged room, with a large folder before him, Boman Kohinoor tells us how he was the only member of his family who accompanied his father from Iran decades ago when he was just nine.
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"I lived here," he says, about the legendary eatery on Sprott Road that's as old as he is. He'd sleep on the floor here, beside his father.
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"I could only speak Persian, but the day after I got here, my father took me to St Xavier's School to meet the principal.
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He taught me just two words 'yes' and 'no' and worked out a signal code so that I'd know which one to use, when. I answered the principal's questions by following the signals, and got in."

Although the restaurant was vacated and reduced to rubble during World War II, the Zoroastrian Iranian gentleman reminisces about the Empire.
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In fact, when two female diners who dropped by for lunch at the eatery recently, mentioned that they were from England, he immediately asked them, "Do you know the Queen personally?"

One of them actually did. That was enough of a reason for Kohinoor to write out a letter that he requested them to deliver to Her Majesty.

Adjusting his thick glasses on his nose, he flips through a massive collection of notes, postcards and photographs (including one with conductor Zubin Mehta tucking into a meal) to produce a letter bearing the Windsor Castle emblem.
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The note, signed on behalf of the Queen, by a "lady-in-waiting," thanks Boman for his warm sentiments.
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What did he write to the Queen? "That I was happy when the British were here, and that I'd be happy to entertain her if she visited," he says with a straight face.
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Cruel inflation and the loss of a sense of safety make Mumbai a tough place to continue in, he admits.

"In the old days I used to sleep with doors unlocked. Now, I have a double lock."

It doesn't help matters when it was brought to his notice that a maid-servant had her slippers stolen from right outside his apartment, recently.

But running Britannia and hearing endlessly from customers how they can't do without its legendary Berry Pulao make it worth it.
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His face lights up when he speaks about a recent visit by actors Abhishek Bachchan and Boman Irani. "There was a big crowd of fans gathered outside, so they ran upstairs to eat in peace."

On his way out, Abhishek had a brief chat with Kohinoor who told him, "Next time, don't come with celebrities. It causes an unnecessary crowd... just bring Aishwarya."