The Queen and dedication to duty in the 21st Century

In the Netherlands it is customary for the monarch to abdicate at an age that corresponds to retirement age, but this is the only country that has this custom.

Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium and Spain are all constituational monacharies like Britain and in all these countries the monarch remains en poste until death.

So why should Britain suddenly change?

Serious question, where are the posts showing little respect?

I'm not a Royalist, but I do think some of the posts have shown little respect for a woman who has dedicated her whole life to her country and the Commonwealth. She is dropping back gradually and gracefully, she's of extremely sharp mind and in better shape than me, 30+years her junior. Let her decide, it's not a matter for anyone else, but she has my utmost respect as a strong older woman above everything else, and has weathered many storms. Despite the media I doubt we will ever know just how much she has done for this country. So much has come to light about her husband's groundbreaking conservation, environmental and youth promotional activities since he died that nobody realised, I imagine she will have played a part in world peace that cannot be spoken about. We're lucky to have her, so let her make her own decisions without being ageist, sexist or knowing only media governed fragments of her real story.

runnerbean

I think one particular American much better!

What does that sentence mean ?

I think one particular American much better!

Our queen is amazing!

I don’t think she will abdicate ever as her family were pretty disgusted with her uncle having done so, but Charles (and he probably already is) should take on the bulk of her duties now.

Also what she’s going through with the loss of her beloved Phillip she will want to be busy.

I am a royalist and love the tradition and pride that they give us. Unfortunately there are some black sheep in every family but we all love a bit of intrigue and gossip don’t we!

Agree Davsgril , women wanting a woman to give up her job because of her age

Davsgril

I feel it is somewhat ironic that a lot of ‘old ‘ people are telling another ‘old’ person that she is past it and not able to do the job she has dedicated her life to. That of supporting our nation to the best of her ability. This at a time when she is probably at her lowest ebb and needs a little support herself.

This is true. Granted the Queen being 95 today is pretty old, if there was a thread started about a GN’er being forced out of their job because they were getting on, there would be a righteous debate on here and the vast majority would be saying “How dare they!” and ‘It’s your right to carry on if you want to” etc, etc.

The Queen dedicated her life to her country. She will never abdicate and I would not want her to. She still does a lot of 'office's work and she does still do s lot of the duties done in the past. She would hold her arms up in horror if she read some of the things written on here. Let her carry on with the job. I have great respect for her....

I can remember when I was at school having to write an essay on "The Queen reigns but does not rule" which says it all really.
Over the last few years, she has been handing more and more things over to Prince Charles- she no no longer travels overseas - and I would guess that Prince William will or is taking on more as well, the Earl of Wessex and his wife , along with the Princess Royal also do a lot that you rarely hear about.
As long as she is in relatively good health, she made a promise at her coronation and I think she will keep that promise.

They did that documentary years ago which I think they regretted and then Edward et al were in that daft TV programme, Grand Knockout for charity.

We don’t need to know intimate details of their private life, Diana kicked that off , I can’t recall personal details being broadcast before.

The Queen's ancestry does trickle back to King Alfred the Great. A random German family didn't just plonk itself on the British throne they came through a bloodline.

I don't think she'll abdicate.She made the promise to devote her life to the country.But other members of the royal family are doing the foreign travel on her behalf,and doing a lot of the other engagements too.That will continue,but the Queen will still appear in public,I hope she can continue to do so,she does look more frail now.

....an elected Head of State........Wouldn’t need lots of servants for him or her that’s certain.

But it’s not certain. Do you think that the President of the USA runs the White House alone? There’ll be many staff there, not just clerical staff, but many who run the house. The same for any elected Head of State. There would be many staff helping to run the residence of any Head of State we chose to have. Incidentally the RF don’t call their staff servants, they’re called staff and are paid for their work. The Ladies in Waiting are not staff, they are personal friends of the Queen who support her in her work. They are not carers who wash and dress her her. They attend functions with her and deal with her correspondence and so on.

vegansrock

Our current Queen cannot trace her lineage back to medieval times. She is from the German branch of royalty, the Battenbergs , I believe.

We all can, vegansrock

But does that person have to be involved in government? Do they have to command utmost respect, irrespective of what they do? Do we need to have an intimate knowledge of their extended family and all their goings on? I don't think so.

As Head of State I think it's inevitable that the monarch has to be involved to a certain extent in the government of the country but I doubt they have a great deal of influence and they should not - although it is a pity recently that HM has not stepped in once or twice! A benign oversight is essential and I doubt you will find a President either political or apolitical, who does not take a keen interest in the politics of their country. What would be the point of a monarch or any president otherwise?

As for the Established Church and the monarch being Supreme Governor of the C of E, perhaps that is outdated in an increasingly multi-faith country.
Prince Charles understands that dilemma I think.

The media is to blame for the non-stop drip-feed of stories, photos of the family but some do manage to keep a lower profile and get on with the job.

Do we care what Catherine or Meghan wear and whether or not it is similar to what Diana wore? Do we need pages of this in newspapers and magazines eg Hello? No, they're not celebrities. It's intrusive, not all of them court publicity. And as for long distance lenses, words fail me.
As Princess Anne would say "Naff off"!

Casdon

Yes she can vegansrock.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_tree_of_English_monarchs

Agreed. I did a bit of research that always gets me into trouble on this forum vegansrock

She is descended from Elizabeth of Bohemia who was the daughter of James VI & I. So, a Stuart. The Stuarts became prominent in Scotland during the reign of Robert the Bruce, when they were his Stewards - i.e. the butler.

The family were more fecund that the Bruces and took over when their male line died out and they married into the Bruce's female line. She's in charge because her ancestors were good at fighting and had lots of children.

(Hard hat on)

A pope is allowed to retire - why not the titular head of the church of England?
I think it should be the choice of the queen herself. I suppose she can - and probably does - delegate some of her duties to Prince Charles or other members of the royal family. It's Prince Charles I feel sorry for - imagine hanging on till you are over 70 - as I am now - and waiting for your mother to die before you can take over the family business. Perhaps King Charles III will amend the rules so the reigning monarch can serve a fixed term and then enjoy a well-earned retirement.

Their surname before they changed it was Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

It seems to me that our Queen is perfectly able to carry on. Whatever age we are we all need a little help and encouragement to do our best - which is what is happening with the Queen and (most of) her children.

Incidentally, when Edward VIII abdicated he never made the fuss that H and M are making - he just left with Mrs S and got on with his life.

"I think to a degree she does believe that. She certainly believes she is God’s anointed."

The Queen was indeed anointed at her Coronation and will continue in that role until death. I think the European abdications which have taken place were not anointed monarchs?

Yes she can vegansrock.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_tree_of_English_monarchs

The role of monarch is - they believe or C of E believe - directly appointed by God. So i would say it is their belief that God has given and therefore God gives or takes away.

Personally good on QE11 keep going as long as she wishes she is delegating roles to others.
What will be will be over the next few years. I am sure if she had wanted to she could have retired. She has dedicated her life and she must feel that is as long as it can be.
She is lucky not to have had to retire through ill health!
I don't think anybody in any dynasty will ever break the length of her reign now but maybe if she keeps going she will guarantee that! She may even go on to become the World's oldest woman at some point!

I know that the Queen has Ladies in Waiting and at least one would accompany her on official visits, but the person in charge of her wardrobe is Angela Kelly, who is a paid employee, and is reported to have become a close friend of the Queen after many years service. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Queen requires helping bathing at her great age, my own mother, aged 93, has a carer to help her shower and dress every morning.