# Happy 80th birthday to the Queen **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 21, 2006, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554 "2006-04-21T00:58:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/1 "2006-04-21T00:58:45Z")
[Link](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18879924-28101,00.html) I wonder whether she’ll make it to 100 like her mother? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/2 "2006-04-21T01:38:51Z")
Well, she certainly didn’t inherit her mother’s wonderful taste in clothing and hats, why should she inherit her longevity? Anyway, I remember 1953, when my mother let me stay home from school to watch the Queen’s Coronation on our first TV. I can’t believe Elizabeth’s 80 now, and I’m . . . well . . . older too. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/3 "2006-04-21T07:39:48Z")
If she can make it another nine years she’ll be the longest reigning British monarch, beating out her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, who reigned for a little over sixty-three years. And Victoria was several years younger than Elizabeth too when she became queen. Elizabeth has seeming good health, good longevity genes from her mother, and access to the best medical care, no reason she shouldn’t make it. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/4 "2006-04-21T07:51:56Z")
This morning the _Daily Torygraph_ point out the Queen is in many ways typical of women of her generation who can and do remain vibrant much longer than in previous generations. You go, girl! ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/5 "2006-04-21T10:29:53Z")
May she have many happy returns of the day. She’s not bad for a distant figurehead. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/6 "2006-04-21T12:47:50Z")
So is Charles still set to succede her, or is he too unpopular now? I almost feel sorry for the guy, spending his life knocking around performing “official duties” and never getting to take on his life’s major role until he’s what…seventy? eighty? ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/7 "2006-04-21T13:23:05Z")
I think it’s sweet that she had a huge [party](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4923336.stm) for 99 other people born on her exact birthday. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/8 "2006-04-21T13:42:38Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > This morning the _Daily Torygraph_ point out the Queen is in many ways typical of women of her generation who can and do remain vibrant much longer than in previous generations. > > You go, girl! Poor Charles 😉 ! With luck she’ll outlive her oldest son and heir and the throne will pass straight to William. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/9 "2006-04-21T14:21:45Z")
80? Wow. Elton doesn’t look a day over… Huh? Oh. _That_ Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/10 "2006-04-21T14:55:16Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Well, she certainly didn’t inherit her mother’s wonderful taste in clothing and hats That’s a bit harsh - as far as I can see they have pretty much the [same](http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/in_pictures_the_queen0_a_public_life/img/5.jpg) [style](http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/in_pictures_the_queen0_a_public_life/img/11.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/11 "2006-04-21T14:55:57Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > 80? > > Wow. Elton doesn’t look a day over… > > Huh? > > Oh. _That_ Queen. Funny! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/12 "2006-04-21T15:27:22Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Poor Charles 😉 ! With luck she’ll outlive her oldest son and heir and the throne will pass straight to William. I can just see Prince Charles thinking “The luckiest thing that can happen to me is that I die before my mother does.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/13 "2006-04-21T16:51:10Z")
Congratulations, you old Queen you! ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/14 "2006-04-21T17:11:19Z")
God save her and all that. Happy birthday, Queenie. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/15 "2006-04-21T17:38:50Z")
Her secret? Fresh corgi pancreas. Every morning. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/16 "2006-04-21T18:23:20Z")
Many happy returns, Your Majesty. Long may you reign. I dread BigEars becoming King. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/17 "2006-04-21T18:24:31Z")
As for the coats and hats, I’m told her style is basically designed to make her easier to see in a crowd. Having played the “Is-that-the-King-or-an-aide” game in Madrid last October, I can see her point. Of course, in terms of style, she’ll never beat [this](http://www.n24.de/php-bin/data/cgalerie/content/n24_boulevard_de_050429_beatrix/06.jpg) from her Dutch colleague. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/18 "2006-04-21T21:35:33Z")
She and my mother looked quite a bit alike in their younger days (my mom’s only 65, though.) I like the old dame a lot, despite or because of the fact that she has absolutely nothing to do with me whatsoever. Maybe I’ll send her a card - have to look up the appropriate forms of address, though. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/19 "2006-04-21T23:17:33Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Maybe I’ll send her a card - have to look up the appropriate forms of address, though. “Yo, what it be like, Lizzie-girl? How it be wit’ your fine self?” I can’t remember where I saw it, but I read recently that sometime, when she was walking about in the countryside, someone saw her and said, “You look just like the Queen.” She responded, “That’s reassuring.” ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2006, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554/20 "2006-04-22T06:18:56Z")
My absolute favourite royal quotation occurred when Noel Coward was escorting Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother up the stairs to the theatre. Noticing his eyes flickering over at the guardsmen, Her Majesty quipped, “I wouldn’t if I were you, Noel; they count them before they put them out.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-queen/353554.md?page=2)