The image of the royal family

Cabbie21

She will never abdicate. She knew the distress the abdication of her uncle caused to her parents, and to the country.
She is doing fewer public engagements, but she will not retire unless her health forces her to. Quite right too.

Totally different circumstances . This time Charles would be ready and I’d guess willing, to take on the role, Bertie wasn’t.

It doesn’t matter whether any other monarch has retired, no other monarch has lived to be 95 either. She’s too old, she’s hanging on because she thinks she’s not old, we know that because she said she’s too young to get the oldie of the year title. I’m sorry, the Queen is very old, whether she likes it or not. We all die, if you’re born you will die. That’s life. Of course there should be no ageism in the normal workplace, but the Queen isn’t in a normal workplace. We on Gransnet are also old, mainly. People in their 60s, 70s and 80s are old. It’s a fact. We’re lucky because we’ve got to be old, lots of people don’t!

Frankly I think the monarchy has had it’s day.
Yep!

Poor Camilla how will she cope!!

'Queen is spotted driving around the Windsor estate as she's seen for the first time since hospital stay after pulling out of COP26 on medical advice'

She will never abdicate. She knew the distress the abdication of her uncle caused to her parents, and to the country.
She is doing fewer public engagements, but she will not retire unless her health forces her to. Quite right too.

No Monarch has retired,

winterwhite

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.

I agree. The Queen should retire and let Charles have a go. I feel that she is stubborn and thinks no one else can do it as well as she can. Some call that dedication to duty, it can also be called arrogance.

RVK1CR We are in complete agreement, I am with her choice of dress.

In fact my last sentence was The Queen has got it right. She is the news, not her clothes. How would you like to see her dressed ? Like Barbara Cartland or Vivienne Westwood?

Far from suggesting she dressed like BC or VW, I was saying the opposite.

The queen is 'on duty, doing her job' when wearing the bright colour outfits.they are bright so she can be seen"
.......When off duty she is in her dark greens and browns, her preferred mode of dress.

M0nica

The Queens clothes have to make her easy to see in a crowd,so as many people as possible can say they say her. Hence the jewel coloured monchrome outfits and as far as I am concerned the less exceptional her clothes the better.

I have found the media obsession about what clothes members of the Royal family wear tedious in the extreme and very trivial and the constant comment on what they wear must drive them nuts as well

The Queen has got it right. She is the news, not her clothes. How would you lke to see her dressed ? Like Barbara Cartland or Vivienne Westwood?

I am not a monarchist but we have a RF so we have to accept what they wear. For a woman of her age I think she looks very nice, why should she change? She would look stupid in the clothes younger people wear, look at that awful stuff Markle wore, baggy red trousers, ill fitting green thing, white coat tied up like a sack. the York sisters have worn clothes that don't fit or flatter.
The queen looks smart and respectable, she dresses very well and needs to be comfortable. Barbara Cartland mostly looked ridiculous as she aged.

Lesley60

Apparently Prince Charles can’t even squeeze his own toothpaste let alone be head of state

Oh dear. Charles seems a kind caring person. Don’t go on about his failed marriage to a woman neither of whom were suited to each other, let him without sin etc. Camilla is a very hard working lady, and seems passionate about her charities, she would make a good Queen. She seems to have the support of her stepson William and his family.That’s what counts.

Oh dear, that old chestnut from when he broke his arm ........

Apparently Prince Charles can’t even squeeze his own toothpaste let alone be head of state

I think it would be nice for Kate and William to have a chance as I feel that they would bring a more down to earth refreshing and modern approach to the monarchy.
And hopefully not spend so much money on it and get rid of half the Archaic rules like people bowing and curtsying and finishing their food and going to bed only when allowed

Charles and his ex mistress will never have my respect. No way should she become Queen.
Frankly I think the monarchy has had it’s day. I d have respect for the Queen though and hope she is with us for a long time.

cc

Allsorts

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.

This is a feeling that I and many others have. He is unopular, unworldly and undeserving of the same respect as Her Majesty.

But might PC not take the Royal Family forward in a different direction? I think the point of the OP was that most firms, and indeed governments, re invent themselves and update so as not to get stale. Prince Charles could be pro active and influential in new areas, but the longer he is left to twiddle his thumbs, the less credible he becomes to the younger public. His actions will show whether he is deserving of any respect and whether he can make a significant contribution.

The Queen doesn’t actually have to do much if she doesn’t want to. Waving and pulling a few ribbons with everything organised for you isn’t the most demanding role. So let her stick at it as that is what the archaic monarchy is all about, ridiculous though it is in the 21st century. I do like her bright colour blocky clothes though intended to make her visible in the entourage. I don’t think Charles in a navy suit and tie will have the same impact.

Allsorts

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.

Do we know that her mind is razor sharp now though? Hospital tests etc might not be entirely about the physical (though she may have some arrhythmia or something)
For me, so long as it's not Prince Andrew doing the royal gigs, I don't mind who it is. Shame Harry opted out - he'd have been useful right now.

icanhandthemback

I think it is a PR exercise to get Camilla into the public's affection. It won't work as far as I am concerned. I think she and her husband are despicable pieces of work and, having been a Royalist all my life, (despite being a Roundhead with the English Civil War Society!) I am beginning to think that if they are the best we have to offer, we should call it quits!

Why do you sat C and C are 'despicable pieces of work'? Just because they were in love before Charles married Diana, not by choice it seems, and remain so today?

Allsorts

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.

This is a feeling that I and many others have. He is unopular, unworldly and undeserving of the same respect as Her Majesty.

It was probably sexist as well as ageist!

Who on here has experienced ageism in the work place?

Me, by a man only a few years younger than me who made an ageist remark.
Other people were there, mostly male and a couple of them gasped, very audibly!

I was probably in my early 50s at the time.

But the Queen doesn't drive a bus or taxi or stand in a shop making sandwiches, and I'm sure if and when she feels her role is too much for, she'll say so.

It’s not an ageist thread at all it’s a true to life thread
Would you really want a 95 year old driving your bus or taxi or even standing in a shop making sandwiches
I m certainly not against Charles *anniebach he should have been king long ago and given his poor old mum time to put her feet up and do the daily crossword if she d have let him
I don’t think Andrew would ever be able to, guilty or not guilty far too much stuff around his name, and Edward is the quiet shrinking violet who i think likes being left out Ann would be good but again I don’t think she wants it she’s happy as she is
It doesn’t matter whether it’s called abdicating or retiring she should step aside she’s too old and frail and it’s very unfair to Charles who ll be too old himself soon …. it’s hanging on for the sake of it just to die ‘in office’ ….silly stuff

User7778 " it has been noticeable that her dress gapes round the neck." It is harder than you might think to alter a bodice so that the neck no longer gapes but it still looks right otherwise.