We are the Windsors - my friends

HM the Queen (oh, and Prince Phillip) has been in Canberra for a few days now, enjoying our beautiful spring weather on her 16th visit, and enduring the unrelenting attention of the mainstream media, local convicts and various bothersome politicians, who have suddenly become completely engrossed in pandering to our Monarch. I’m talking to you Julia Gillard and meddling Labour Ministers and Shane Rattenbury and Bob Brown.  I'm sure they will continue to call for a republic next week.

Her Maj in 1953 

Apart from her often breakneck schedule, the constant, intense fascination with one’s duty would drive me quite batty. I’ve always imagined HM kept the poker face because it saves her the energy of smiling or frowning, but perhaps the real intention behind the pursed lips is to avoid saying or doing something rather uncouth when interrupted mid-conversation by dodgy, rude politicians that look a lot like Bob Brown.

There is no question that HM has stamina, and a real sense of duty - she has been in her role for nearly sixty years; so she has been reigning for about 2/3 of the time since our Federation. 

The Queen gets a lot of stick from a lot of people in Australia, which I put down to the fact that some people are fairly ignorant of the role of a Monarch. I always find it ironic when Canberra’s public servants whinge about other people not doing anything for a crust. The pot calling the kettle and all that. In reality, HM works harder, at 85 years of age, than any of these people ever will.

HM performs many different public duties, like ceremonies, visits and receptions, but she does a lot of stuff away from the cameras as well. She gets hundreds of letters from the public every day, she meets with ambassadors and political heads, meets with her Private Secretaries and spends a lot of time reading official papers and briefings.

HM likes to keep abreast of matters within her realms, so each day one of HM’s minions brings her a red box, a slightly battered small suitcase-type container full of state papers.  Important (which is not to be confused with interesting) government correspondence that someone has decided that she needs to read / know about.  And the British PM has a meeting with HM every Tuesday evening at the Palace to advise her which of his Ministry hasn’t broken parliamentary rules this week and so forth.