Queen Elizabeth II, 60 years on the Throne today

[harshreality]

There's no need to go before an electorate who are quite happy to have you there. The Royal Family costs each British taxpayer about a £1 a year. Good value for money and defo better value for money that Mickey D.

Indeed you are quite right about Micky D, poor value for money and not really needed, similar enough to old Lizzie I think.

[Ex celt]

Who cares?

You clearly do.

[Born Again Scouser]

Mixed feelings on this one. I'm no monarchist (or Royalist - as CLR James once said we don't have monarchy in Britain, we have something called 'Royalty') but if she's done nothing else she's been there during the transition from Empire to Commonwealth - and the Commonwealth is about the only international organisation in which rich and poor countries do business on anything like an equal footing (mostly because the Americans, Russians and Chinese aren't in it).

And I think there's a real regard for her in many Commonwealth countries, despite Britain's shabby imperial history, because she's associated with the period in history in which most of those nation-states came into being as independent entities. In Britain there is a huge effort going on at an ideological level to preserve the popularity and legitimacy of the 'Monarchy' and all it represents into the next generation. I can't see it succeeding. Queen Camilla, anyone? Thought not.

I really think that once she's gone the spell will be broken and all King Charles' horses and men won't fix it. If nothing else, she represents (imperfectly, I know) the generation that fought and defeated Nazi Germany and built the welfare state. That generation is passing away now. Sadly, so are many of its achievements. And however much one may admire her lifetime of service (and like it or not, that's what it has been) it only takes one look at the assembled mob at the last royal wedding to be reminded of what a pack of parasites the rest of the tribe are.

[Clanrickard]

A sectarian monarchy can't be an excellent of state. Remember the future monarch cannot marry a Catholic. In 2012.

[wherethelady]

fair play to her im sure her millions of irish fans will all be happy for her today. when is she coming back and when is kate and william coming. its what the people of ireland want bar a few terrorits numpties but when never listen to those idiots anyways. we love you lizzy we do, we love you lizzy we do, oh lizzy we love you

[mistercrabs]

Indeed you are quite right about Micky D, poor value for money and not really needed, similar enough to old Lizzie I think.

I was always convinced the royal family was a waste of money and should be abolished, and then I had a conversation with a German, who told me that when Germans think of England the first thing they think of is the Queen. It got me thinking, regardless of what an odious human being she is, she is a huge instantly recognizable brand, in a way that the President of Italy, for example, is not. Countries are obsessed with branding themselves nowadays, and I think that getting rid of the monarchy would probably be a mistake.

[louis bernard]

This is what the British have


And this is what we have


It's a no contest really.

[Ex celt]

But I don't. I'm laughing at him.

Do you care?

Now there's a thing.I will respond if you answer the little teaser I put to you last night.Please be quick though as I am on my lunch break and only have little time to get tucked into my coronation chicken sandwiches followed by a nice cup of tea and a duchy original oatcake.

[Ex celt]

I was always convinced the royal family was a waste of money and should be abolished, and then I had a conversation with a German, who told me that when Germans think of England the first thing they think of is the Queen. It got me thinking, regardless of what an odious human being she is, she is a huge instantly recognizable brand, in a way that the President of Italy, for example, is not. Countries are obsessed with branding themselves nowadays, and I think that getting rid of the monarchy would probably be a mistake.

Odious human being?omg

[Mitsui2]

Surprised there was no mention of this! 60 years and still going strong. Love her or loath her, she's been, all in all, an excellent head of state and representative of the country since she took the throne back in 1952. Big shoes to fill for whomever it is that'll succeed her! London parade in a few months for the diamond celebrations..

Merciful god, but you really are a glutton for punishment sometimes!