# Elizabeth II's health **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270 "2010-08-14T20:10:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270/61 "2010-08-17T13:02:55Z")
> [@phaemon](#): > > I would have thought the reluctance to have a Charles III would stem more from the fact that the last attempt to seize the throne by military force was in 1745 by Prince Charles Edward Stuart, aka Bonnie Prince Charlie, aka The Young Pretender. > > **Guinastasia** : “Note: “pretender” isn’t necessarily a derogatory term, it simply denotes the heir to a defunct throne.” > > “It may be a parliamentary expression; but it is not a gentlemanly expression.” > – James Boswell, “The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D.” When Prince Charles visited Canada back in the 1980s, [Flora MacDonald](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_MacDonald_%28politician%29) was Foreign Minister and MP for Kingston and the Isles. Needless to say, they found the historical parallel delicious, and she took him for a tour of the Canadian Thousand Islands. Not quite [the original](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_MacDonald_%28Scottish_Jacobite%29), but fun. ---
**Author:** ![Waffle\_Decider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Waffle\_Decider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waffle_Decider)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270/62 "2010-08-18T02:00:29Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > A perfect example of how the role of Queen involves a lot more skill than merely being able to wave for a hour and cut a few ribbons. Someone here recently recounted the story of the Canadian DJs who rang the palace pretending to be the Canadian PM, only to have QE2 demonstrate that she was extremely knowledgable about current Canadian affairs (and comfortable conversing in French as well). Liz is one smart cookie, and I for one am looking for her to beat Victoria’s record. They’re “The Masked Avengers”. During a recent road trip in Canada, I heard them on the radio talking about all the celebrities they’ve pranked. Apparently, they had great success with Britney Spears, being able to talk to her for a very long time before being hung up on. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270/63 "2010-08-18T02:49:00Z")
> [@PrettyVacant](#): > > …the Queen had lunch with the Governor of the Bank of England, something not done in 200 years. Brown shat himself and no more was heard of his second stimulus. Nothing was ever said, the fact of the two having lunch was enough… Although, to give Brown his due, it was at his behest as Chancellor of the Exchequer that one of Tony Blair’s first items of business in 1997 was giving the Bank independence in setting monetary policy, much as the Federal Reserve has in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270/64 "2010-08-18T02:57:15Z")
> [@Waffle\_Decider](#): > > They’re “The Masked Avengers”. During a recent road trip in Canada, I heard them on the radio talking about all the celebrities they’ve pranked. Apparently, they had great success with Britney Spears, being able to talk to her for a very long time before being hung up on. 😃 No, I think it was actually [Pierre Brassard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Brassard) (link to the English Wikipedia article, more info on the French Wikipedia one). That happened 15 years ago and I don’t think the _Justiciers masqués_ existed yet. ---
**Author:** ![Waffle\_Decider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Waffle\_Decider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waffle_Decider)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270/65 "2010-08-18T03:06:23Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > > [@Waffle\_Decider](#): > > > > They’re “The Masked Avengers”. During a recent road trip in Canada, I heard them on the radio talking about all the celebrities they’ve pranked. Apparently, they had great success with Britney Spears, being able to talk to her for a very long time before being hung up on. 😃 > > No, I think it was actually [Pierre Brassard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Brassard) (link to the English Wikipedia article, more info on the French Wikipedia one). That happened 15 years ago and I don’t think the _Justiciers masqués_ existed yet. Ooops, it appears that you’re right. :o They definitely did call Britney Spears, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270/66 "2010-08-18T11:08:17Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Although, to give Brown his due, it was at his behest as Chancellor of the Exchequer that one of Tony Blair’s first items of business in 1997 was giving the Bank independence in setting monetary policy, much as the Federal Reserve has in the U.S. Even if he did spend the next ten years beguiled and entirely in the thrall of neo-liberal ‘masters of the universe’ leading to the absurd and inexcusable state of the finances. Fucking clueless is what he was, they could have sold him London Bridge if the wanted - he’d have even jumped of it for them. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270/67 "2010-08-18T11:41:11Z")
> [@PrettyVacant](#): > > A good example of that was provided last year when Gordon Brown was advocating a second stimulus package - perhaps more in the interests of re-election than national interest. In retrospect, it looks utterly foolish and dangerous to have planned even more debt. > > Anyway, the Queen had lunch with the Governor of the Bank of England, something not done in 200 years. Brown shat himself and no more was heard of his second stimulus. Nothing was ever said, the fact of the two having lunch was enough. That Mervyn King had already publicly condemned the idea when appearing before the Treasury select committee - albeit earlier that same day - is, on balance, likely to have been rather more significant. No need to infer tacit influence by the Queen when Brown was facing openly declared opposition from the Bank of England. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270/68 "2010-08-18T18:01:34Z")
> [@APB](#): > > > [@PrettyVacant](#): > > > > A good example of that was provided last year when Gordon Brown was advocating a second stimulus package… > > > > Anyway, the Queen had lunch with the Governor of the Bank of England, something not done in 200 years… > > That Mervyn King had already publicly condemned the idea when appearing before the Treasury select committee - albeit earlier that same day - is, on balance, likely to have been rather more significant. No need to infer tacit influence by the Queen when Brown was facing openly declared opposition from the Bank of England. I’m an American and don’t pay all _ **that** _ much attention to British politics, but even _ **I** _ can read that one: The fact that they had lunch later in the same day was specifically intended to signal to Brown that she and MK had discussed the issue previously to MK’s appearance, and Brown was skating on thin ice with that proposal. She has some very real, and not at all theoretical power. She’s signaling that Brown’s political career might come to a very abrupt end if he carried on with that plan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabeth-iis-health/550270.md?page=3)