The image of the royal family

The Queen dedicated the whole of her life to service when she became Queen. Yes she is becoming frail but that doesn't mean that she is gaga or unfit. In the UK we don't "skip over generations to get to a young one" What about the wisdom and experience that comes with age?

I agree greenlady and I'm not aware that any of the RF's of Europe receive as much love and respect as our Queen.

I agree. I think the queen is holding on to too much and that the importance of her personal presence, in her samey hats and coats, is exaggerated.

Others came in while I was typing. I meant that I agree with the OP.

I dont care what we look like to others.
If the Queen feels she can cope, that enough for me.

Maybe the Queen doesn’t think Charles is up to the job. She might be getting. a little frail, but her mind is razor sharp.

Even the Queen should get to retire really.

I'm not sure she trusts anyone else to do the job.

I just looked this up. The monarchs of most countries in Europe are older than you would expect, the youngest is 53 apparently (Spain) and there are several others in their eighties. Perhaps they have more younger members at important events?

I do wonder if the Queen would like to have retired but feels that she can't with the Andrew-Harry debacle still not sorted.

But I suspect she will want to keep the promise she made to the country so long ago, although frankly no one would hold her to it.... and indeed ill health may mean she has no choice. Meanwhile Charles is not getting any younger ......

I think the Queen is showingmore than anything that older people are as much part of society as people younger, that we are not the detritus at the end of society, waitng to be thrown out, that we still have much to contribute

At the summit in Rome Prince Charles was invited to make a
speech, any one from royal families of Europe invited ?

So boot out the Queen, Charles and Camilla, sooo old,

And someone should tell Sir Attenborough to shut up, he is the
same age as the Queen.

When you use the word "image" in your OP, do you mean in terms of fashion and appearance? I agree that the same old hat and coat image is very far from a contemporary image, but it would be too late to change it now and even Charles and Camilla will face the same problem. We will need to wait to see how William and Kate handle it.
On the other hand there is a certain sense of security and stability to be found in the familiar, traditional image the Queen presents, showing she is reliable and steadfast.

I think loosing PP hss taken it`s toll on her,not helped by H and M.
Staying Queen takes her mind off all that`s gone on and still going on imo.

Anniebach

At the summit in Rome Prince Charles was invited to make a
speech, any one from royal families of Europe invited ?

So boot out the Queen, Charles and Camilla, sooo old,

And someone should tell Sir Attenborough to shut up, he is the
same age as the Queen.

Not Europe, no....

english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/10/31/Saudi-Arabia-s-King-Salman-heads-Kingdom-s-G20-delegation-virtually

p.s. Sir David

M0nica

I think the Queen is showingmore than anything that older people are as much part of society as people younger, that we are not the detritus at the end of society, waitng to be thrown out, that we still have much to contribute

Quite right!

Some younger people think that old folks should be put out to grass - but so many of the younger people are not coming along to volunteer, for example to do voluntary work.

I agree that the same old hat and coat image is very far from a contemporary image
I think she'd look faintly ridiculous in the latest fashions, showing a bare midriff.
So would I

I was thinking the same, Callistemon!

Not sure what on earth she's supposed to wear.

She is well respected round the world. If she's happy to continue then that's fine by me. I don't really care if the rest of the world are thinking she's too old for the job.

I doubt many give it much thought

Calistemon

^I agree that the same old hat and coat image is very far from a contemporary image^
I think she'd look faintly ridiculous in the latest fashions, showing a bare midriff.
So would I

No, but she could try a bit of Judi Dench or Helen Mirren up to date type fashion!

Or that awful cold shoulder look - if she didn't like someone she could shrug her cold shoulders!

I am constantly amazed that people in the UK seem to thing that all European monarchs abdicate at retirement age.

This is, as far as I know, only true of the Dutch monarachy.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is 81 and will be celebrating her 50th anniversary as Queen this coming February.

King Harald V of Norway is 84, King Carl 16, Gustaf of Sweden is 75.

There is no tradition of abdication in any of these royal families.

The heirs to the throne in these countries are men and women in their fifties.

King Juan Carlos of Spain.abdicated due to a scandal, not to age-related reasons.

I honestly do not remember Queen Elizabeth ever wearing smart or contemporary clothes - she was born the year before my mother, so she may have looked smart in my childhood, but since the 1960s she has quite frankly always looked staid and conventional in her day time dresses and horrible hats.

Some of her evening dresses were smart, but usually not.

I am constantly amazed that people in the UK seem to thing that all European monarchs abdicate at retirement age.
I think it's just the republicans spreading unrest, grandtante

Thank you for that information.

I wouldn’t like to see the Queen abdicate. I am more than happy for her to put her feet up at Windsor, Sandringham, Balmoral or wherever she so wishes and let Prince Charles and the other younger royals carry out meet and greets etc.

As for her fashion, in my opinion she has always liked smart and bright with her own style. Just because some fashion house decides what’s in and what’s out does not mean that anyone, whoever they may be has to wear or own the new must have . Princess Anne is known for recycling her wardrobe as are the younger royals.

Angela Kelly is the Queen's resident dressmaker. She has written a book called "The Other Side of the Coin" if anyone is interested. I got it for a £1 on a kindle daily deal. Don't pay a lot for this book - very lightweight and we learn nothing new about the Queen but nice to read if you like textiles and tailoring.