The Queen and dedication to duty in the 21st Century

Why can’t it just be “retirement” rather than “abdication?”

And why couldn’t Charles or Will open things /make speeches /wave /chat to the prime minister /host banquets ? They’re reasonably intelligent human beings.

It’s no different to farming. Many farmers never ‘retire’.

The number of very elderly ‘farmers’ who don’t actually do any of the work, it being done by younger family members probably, but the old chap is still head of the clan, and is
viewed as being ‘in charge’ until he dies.

The Queen will never retire, abdicate, whatever you want to call it. So what if other family members carry on doing the role?

When she vowed to do it whether her whole life be long or short, there was no ‘but I’ll pack up when I get to pension age’.

She will probably be Queen until she dies. In future years and perhaps less able as she gets older her tasks will be taken over by other members of the RF but she will remain the Queen.

There has only been one abdication since 1066 and that was Edward V111th. Only three monarchs have not been crowned, Edward Vth, Jane Grey, and Edward V111th, but each of these became monarch after the death of their predecessor. Charles cannot be king until the Queen dies unless she abdicates which is highly unlikely. He can however,take over more and more of her duties, but for Charles to be created Prince Regent the Queen would, under the 1937 regency act have to be totally incapacitated like George 111rd. As she is clearly isn't there will be no reason for a regency, so I expect things will stay as they are.

I am quite sure she will be Queen until she dies.

Other senior members of the RF are already doing many engagements as always.

No need for abdication or retirement.

I think she will need the distraction from her grief that her role gives her at this time. It will be wonderful to celebrate seventy years next year.

Here in Belgium the old King handed over a few years ago, no one was struck down by lightning and things just moved along.
At a beer festival one year in the city centre, he and his family had cycled into the city(car free Sunday) and he bought beers from the stand she was on. No massive police protection and DD did not even recognise him, just said he was very polite.
Perhaps the UK should start seeing their Royals ( I have met a few) as people not gods.

The speech that everyone keeps quoting. It was actually on the occasion of her 21st birthday and she was addressing the Commonwealth from Cape Town. Her actual words were:

My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family.

Even if we let the "great imperial family" bit go, she never said she would hang on as HoS until the bitter end. There are many kinds of service.

If other members of the family are fulfilling the role of HoS, why is she still there? There's no shame in being Queen Mother, is there? or Dowager Queen? I think its because she has been Number 1 for 70-odd years and can't imagine someone else being in that position. I can understand that, actually.

James VII & II abdicated, as did Mary Queen of Scots and Richard II, although none of them entirely voluntarily. The last 3 monarchs of the Netherlands have all abdicated. It is really not that big a deal for most countries. British exceptionalism again.

If other members of the family are fulfilling the role of HoS, why is she still there? There's no shame in being Queen Mother, is there? or Dowager Queen? I think its because she has been Number 1 for 70-odd years and can't imagine someone else being in that position. I can understand that, actually.

Totally agree, Alegrias1

However, senior members of the Royals have performed umpteen engagements without her being there with no ado.

This is a list of the engagements of 2019

Princess Anne: 195
Prince Charles: 177
The Queen: 174
Prince Andrew: 139
Prince Edward: 119
Prince William: 108
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent: 05
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester: 105
Prince Harry: 98
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall: 81
Sophie, Countess of Wessex: 81
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge: 56
Princess Alexandra: 43
Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester: 42

I'm sure the Queen will still be doing certain engagements but it's not as if she has ever done them all herself.

It’s ridiculous and I ve no idea why she can’t let the reigns go as lucca said Prince Charles is an intelligent human and deserves to at least have a few years for the job he’s given his chances of an ordinary life up for
Is it a control thing does she believe no one else is up to it ?
If she feels she can’t because she made a promise how sad is that, it’s abusive to make some an old lady keep turning the wheel
It’s not abdication at blooming 95 it’s a retirement
Have a rest lady

Is there anyone who would do a better job than the Queen despite her 95 years? Anyone with a stronger sense of commitment and duty come what may?
I don’t think so.

She won't abdicate, no matter what people feel or don't feel about whether it's sensible for her to continue at such a great age. As Grandma70s said, she took an oath to serve until she dies and she didn't take it lightly.

And it will continue, so Charles will be old when he gains the throne and will want a good shot at it. So we will all be saying poor William, all that waiting around etc etc. On and on.

What will happen if she gets very doddery, looses her marbles or get very ill in her final years? My guess is her “duties” will be done by someone else, she will be kept in seclusion so no one gets a glimpse of her but she’ll still retain her title. When she dies we’ll have no telly for 2 weeks and a bank holiday for the funeral ( before someone tells me I’m being morbid - her funeral has been meticulously planned for years).,

I just googled the coronation oath. Nothing about serving till she dies that I can see. I think using that as an excuse to explain why she's still there is a convenient excuse for some of us.

Ngaio1

HM will never abdicate - think of the fuss when her Uncle did. (Strange - there was an American woman involved it that!) It will be that she is seen less and less and |Charles will take on more of her role. She was brought up to believe in duty. (Americans please note.).

What an unnecessary nasty little dig.

The monarch stays in that role usually until they die, it doesn’t matter how old they are or how long their reign has been.Queen Victoria had a very long reign and didn’t hand over to her son.There is no reason to expect that the present Queen will abdicate simply because she is now old.It’s entirely up to her, and if her general health is good, and mentally is competent as well, then she will carry on in the role until she dies.
Cries of ‘ oh go on! Give Charles a go’ or ‘let William do the job now’ is nonsense.

Well only if you believe duty is the be all and end all. Which I dont. I would have run screaming from that life as well and I am not American. It's probably indicative of common sense.

Greyduster

She won't abdicate, no matter what people feel or don't feel about whether it's sensible for her to continue at such a great age. As Grandma70s said, she took an oath to serve until she dies and she didn't take it lightly.

Yes, exactly.

I agree with Alegrias. I think the Queen (given that she’s unlikely to abdicate) could very easily retire, but remain Queen, whilst Prince Charles could take over from her and do everything she did for a few years. I feel a bit sorry for him really, waiting so long for the ‘top’ job.

Why is it nonsense lemongrove. We were just discussing on another thread the issue with tradition and how people blindly follow it without questioning the purpose and usefulness of the tradition.

If she wants to remain Queen until the day she dies then good luck to her.

It’s how the rules of succession work Galaxy each monarch doesn’t say ‘ I will do it as long as it suits me’.
If you had been in line for the throne it’s unlikely that you would have run screaming from it, because you would have been steeped in the life and tradition etc but even if you had done, your brother or sister would have quickly stepped in to do it ( gladly I should imagine)? Harry was able to run away screaming because he was never likely to have been close to becoming King.

That's really sad, I think Lemon Those born to it have no choice at all and have to follow the path ordained for them by tradition. And if you don't like it, it can pass to some other poor soul until we find someone who'll take it on. Its no way to run a country....

And actually, many monarchs say "I'll do it till it suits me". There have been lots of examples on this thread already.

maddy That is what is likely happening even now ( PC taking over more and more duties) but they don’t call it ‘retiring’ for the Queen, because the monarch doesn’t retire.