The Queen and dedication to duty in the 21st Century

SueDonim

What do people think the gains and/or losses of the Queen retiring would be?

I don’t think there would be any gains.

As for losses, as a nation we would be diminished.

Some quote other European royal families, how normal and just like anyone else they are. I bet without looking any of them up on Google, the vast majority of us would fail to recognise or name any of them.

The Queen is recognised, respected, admired on a global stage. That is due to her longevity, and her unique position as our longest reigning monarch and Head of State.

Like Edward V11 after Victoria, Charles’ reign will be much shorter, but it is what it is.

Anointed and the divine right of kings; here are the actual words spoken by teh Archbishop at the Act of Consecration at the Coronation in 1953:

Sorry, posted too soon.

Annointed and the divine right of kings; here are the actual words spoken by the Archbishop at the Act of Consecration at the Coronation in 1953:

"Be thy head anointed with holy oil: as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed. And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so be you anointed, blessed and consecrated Queen over the Peoples, whom the Lord thy God hath given thee to rule and govern."

Of course she considers herself anointed and believes in the divine rights of kings.

Oh don't be ridiculous, how on earth do you know what the Queen believes or thinks. The last exponent of the divine right of kings was James 11nd, but the doctrine virtually disappeared from English politics after the Glorious Revolution (1688-89) and declined steadily until by the early 20th century it had disappeared . The Queen does not believe in this outdated nonsense which loosely meant the monarch could do and rule as they pleased overriding parliament as they were Gods announced.

annointed!

The Queen does not believe in this outdated nonsense Have you asked her? I apparently don't know what she believes but you do? Which bits of the coronation does she still believe in then? What a farce.

What a lovely bunch of people you are.

"your view doesn't count."

"End of"

"European Royals, whoever they are"

"This is how we do things in this country"

"people like you will get what you deserve"

No thinking no questioning, just accept, that's just not a way I want to live my life. Every idea and structure and tradition is open to questioning and comment, saying end of and that's the way things are isnt really a convincing debate.

Well said Jabberwok No one here can claim to know her thoughts. And she has a deep faith with that comes belief in the
teachings of Christ.

Then don’t live your life that way Galaxy

SueDonim, in answer to your very appropriate question.

Losses: Loss of an experienced person on the throne; actually sorry, I can't think of any others. Loss of the soft power she wields in other countries maybe? But we will lose that shortly anyway.

Gains: Ability of the abdicated Queen to guide Charles while he is taking his first steps as monarch; opportunity for the Queen to have an easier life if she wants one; signalling to the rest of the world that we are modernising our (unwritten) constitution; a more energetic HoS with the ability to start making changes in our country in his own right; recognition that the Monarch is a human and not ordained by God nor the Church, and that they represent the populace whom they serve.

That'll do to be going on with.

If the Queen was to abdicate it would make it difficult for Charles to be king, unless she stayed within the walls of Windsor and was never seen, never again appeared in public, never released a photograph, never attended a family event.

How do you know? We will all know she is still around, she just won't be the monarch any more. She won't be like the first Mrs Rochester.

I dont live my life that way annie that's why I am discussing whether this tradition is a good idea. Lots of people seem very uncomfortable with even discussing the issue, as Alegrias has pointed out the responses to even discussing it have been a little unpleasant.

I claim to recognise one of them - Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. Princess Mary is Australian and Australian magazines are full of pictures and stories if the Danish royal family and 'their' Princess.

However:
The Queen is recognised, respected, admired on a global stage. That is due to her longevity, and her unique position as our longest reigning monarch and Head of State

And Head of the Commonwealth. Some may think it an out-dated concept but countries still keep applying for membership.

No thinking no questioning, just accept, that's just not a way I want to live my life.
But no-one is expecting you to, Galaxy.
You do not know what the Queen thinks and accepts - she has instigated quite a lot of change and Charles will ensure more changes are made.

Ability of the abdicated Queen to guide Charles while he is taking his first steps as monarch; opportunity for the Queen to have an easier life if she wants one
I am sure she will ensure that Charles takes on more and more duties without her actually abdicating.

Abdication: failure to fulfil a responsibility or duty.
Of course, in this day and age, more people fail to understand the meaning of putting duty before one's own desires and keeping solemn vows that they have made.

The expectation is written all over this thread callistemon. I wasnt talking about the Queens thoughts, whatever they may be, I was talking about the views on this thread. That this is the way it is because it's always been that way, this is the way we do things in this country. So no thinking, no questioning. I was saying no thanks to that.

It's clearer now, Galaxy, thanks.

Thank you for the replies to my question. It’s interesting to ponder on the what-ifs.

I suppose one thing that might hold the Queen back from retirement is the knowledge that Charles is currently nowhere near as popular as she is. Even so, the reins will have to be handed over one day so surely she will already be priming him to take over? Queen Victoria refused to allow the Prince of Wales to prepare for the role until three years before she died but in the event he seems to have been a popular king. Did royal duties back then entail more or less than they do nowadays, I wonder?

Alegrias, what kind of changes to the country do you anticipate Charles could make? It seems an undemocratic thing to do! I’m not sure that many people today think that the Queen was ordained by God or the Church, either. Enough ‘light has been let in’ to do away with that idea!

Taking the long view, I think the British monarchy will become less prominent over time and maybe even by Prince George’s era, it will be more on European monarchy lines.

Surely the queen has been preparing Charles for the duties of
a monarch for years.

She certainly believes she is God’s anointed.

Which she is.

I was thinking about things Charles could do related to the way the RF operates SueDonim. So things like limiting the number of people on the list of people supported by the public, for instance, or making them more accountable. Nothing to do with the way the country is run, of course!

I believe there are people who think there is some way that the monarch has been chosen by God. Look at this thread.

I like your idea about George, but I don't think I'll be around by then!

Ah, I misinterpreted about Charles introducing changes! I thought you meant in everything. I think he will want to change things. He has already started implementing a slimmed down family by excluding the York girls, and of course his younger son is off the books now. I think he’ll be keen on environmental matters, though the RF will need to follow their own advice there.

A few people here might believe the Queen was chosen by God but I’ve never met anyone who thinks that IRL. If they believe anything, it’s that it’s an accident of birth (and the abdication, although given that Edward VIII had no children, she’d have been Queen eventually anyway).

It’s a shame we’re unlikely to see how George pans out, though my dds hope he’ll abdicate in favour of Charlotte.

Anniebach

Well said Jabberwok No one here can claim to know her thoughts. And she has a deep faith with that comes belief in the
teachings of Christ.

Sorry but if no one can claim to know her thoughts how can Jabberwok say “the queen doesn’t believe in this outdated nonsense”. And how can you say “she has a deep faith”?

I say she has a deep faith because I believe she does have a deep faith

No problem, I didn't express it very well!