The Queen.

Its not sneering and jeering to question what is meant by "duty and service" - can you do this if you are physically incapacitated? Basically she just has to stay alive to be queen, she doesn't have to do anything.

eazybee

Certain posters aren't the slightest bit interested in learning what the Queen has done for them, or anyone else.

Their objective in this particular thread is to disdain and demean what some people value and hold dear, one of which is the concept of duty.

No need to agree with it, but the constant sneering and jeering and ridicule aimed at some posters' beliefs, and also the Queen, is unnecessarily unpleasant.

Very well said eazybee.

Honouring a promise is not being self important or arrogant.

volver

But Elegran, we're not talking about being head of a family, she can do that, of course.

We're talking about a person who is our Head of State, who is top of the tree in a country that is riven by division, where she has done nothing to help. Or if she has we're not talking about it because its pointless.

I think the country is unaware of what Heads of State are actually for and think that because they are nice old folks who have lived long time, that's enough.

Agree!

Certain posters aren't the slightest bit interested in learning what the Queen has done for them, or anyone else.

Their objective in this particular thread is to disdain and demean what some people value and hold dear, one of which is the concept of duty.

No need to agree with it, but the constant sneering and jeering and ridicule aimed at some posters' beliefs, and also the Queen, is unnecessarily unpleasant.

I’m afraid I have to wade in here. I believe that volver and vegansrock are right. I certainly don’t believe that any monarch has a divine right to be monarch. A promise made to God, or the people, or whatever you believe in does not have to apply till death. It’s perfectly reasonable for a monarch to retire. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. It’s a actually being discussed on Jeremy Vine now. Apparently it’s been announced that her diary is to be reviewed and what that means is that some things she can no longer do. Kevin McGuire is speaking and he sums it up perfectly for me. The other guests can’t praise her enough and keep parroting how hard she works. As the current speaker says (member of the public) she’s had a dutiful life but she’s been extremely well provided for in return. She’s speaking about Prince Charles who has not had the best life. As KM says Charles will not have the same devotion from the public because in part it has been denied to him because she can’t fulfill her duties but won’t retire. Other monarchs retire, why not her. Personally I think it’s self important and arrogant. I realise I’ve opened the floodgates now, but please stay polite as you slate me.

Queen Margaret instead? I’m glad that didn’t happen.

She didn't chose to be queen but she could have walked away like her Uncle. No-one would have chopped her head off.

I rather doubt she seeks the counsel of GN

I rather doubt she seeks the counsel of anyone, really, when it comes to staying on.

I don’t recall a post which says she needs to keep in post volver. Some posters have said she needs to retire, others have said they understand why she won’t do that. Some have said they value her. Nobody has told her to keep going as far as I know and I rather doubt she seeks the counsel of GN anyway. Enjoy your shopping!

But Elegran, we're not talking about being head of a family, she can do that, of course.

We're talking about a person who is our Head of State, who is top of the tree in a country that is riven by division, where she has done nothing to help. Or if she has we're not talking about it because its pointless.

I think the country is unaware of what Heads of State are actually for and think that because they are nice old folks who have lived long time, that's enough.

We do much the same to our own ageing grandparents, who may be tired, frail and in pain, and looking forward to shuffling off this mortal coil and an end to it all. Instead, we won't let them go, we tell them how wonderful they are to keep going, how we couldn't bear to lose them, how indispensible they are to us. They are aware of all this - any one of us who knows they are probably in the last decade of their life is aware that they are winding down.

Or perhaps we should tell them it is time they signed off, they are no use any more, they should be making room for the next generations?

The Queen isn't daft, or senile, she can make her own decisions. Younger members of the RF are doing more each year, and have been for some time. There will be a transition, and it will be in the next few years, but at the moment it is happening gradually. They are being eased into place. The Queen is still head of the Firm, for the time being. Like Grandma still being the matriarch of the family, though others are taking more and more of the burden.

Germanshepherdsmum

I don’t think you keep telling her how much you need her to be in post volver (quite the opposite) and I doubt you know anyone who tells her this. I certainly don’t.

Well, a goodly proportion of this thread is about how she needs to stay in post....

No GSM, I don't. I really don't.

I will think about it this morning while I'm in M&S but I really don't.

You won’t be hearing what she does from me, as I said above. Pointless. But you’re an intelligent woman - you know perfectly well what she does but refuse to acknowledge it.

Still waiting to hear all the things she's done for us and what I have to be grateful for.

Monarchs never "volunteer". But some of them know when the time has come to hand over to someone else.

I don’t think you keep telling her how much you need her to be in post volver (quite the opposite) and I doubt you know anyone who tells her this. I certainly don’t.

She didn’t choose to be Queen. Neither did her father choose to be King. Both accepted what had been forced on them by the abdication.
If you seriously believe her duties consist of signing a few papers, waving and shaking hands I’m genuinely sorry for you.

The Queen didn’t volunteer

The point was in the first sentence, a reply to your "unhealthy" comment. "Perfectly healthy, if it is what she wants and she can do it"

The unhealthy thing is that we keep telling her how much we need her to be in post. And that there is no way out. And that at we accept her inevitable aging and inability to fulfil some of the role, as though the role can be modified depending on who does it.

Which it clearly can, in some people's estimation.

What is meant by “duty and service” anyway - If it’s something you’ve chosen to do ? Am I showing “duty and service” by volunteering at a foodbank - when I’ve chosen to do that? HM is of the mindset that God has ordained her to sign a few papers, wave and shake hands or whatever it is she does. Ok that’s her choice - she could have walked away but didn’t want to, now we are all falling over ourselves to sing her praises.

Anniebach

Freedom of choice for anyone in their nineties GSM ? They need to be in homes, and certainly not allowed to vote in any
elections, wills made must be ignored , all rights must be taken from them,

As I asked before….where has anyone said anything like that ? Seriously ?
If Annie won’t answer can anyone else ?

No GSM, I have not sneered or derided.

Its the truth. Although many people don't like to hear criticism of what they believe is a god-given ruler and an unassailable system of government.

If anyone would like to tell me what I should be grateful for, rather than just saying "there's lots of things, its obvious", then I'd be glad to hear.

You took the wrong message out of my post, Volver, in your rush not to be patronised and state that you "don't need lessons on how hard life was for old people" (And I don't like being patronised either)

The point was in the first sentence, a reply to your "unhealthy" comment. "Perfectly healthy, if it is what she wants and she can do it"

Your ancestors seem to me to have lived (and died) pretty much par for the course. Perhaps their attitude was a healthy one for them - it would have been what they expected to do.

Yes, you have much to be grateful for volver. But I’m not about to say more than that because your default position is to sneer and deride.