# Queen Elizabeth is 90. Should she have held power as Queen this long vs letting Charles rule? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 26, 2016, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632 "2016-12-26T06:02:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/1 "2016-12-26T06:02:35Z")
I’m not up on the formalities of letting go of “Queen” power under English law, but Prince Charles is now 68. Is hanging onto power this long the right thing to do? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/2 "2016-12-26T06:05:33Z")
Yeah she should have abdicated a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/3 "2016-12-26T06:08:30Z")
What power? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/4 "2016-12-26T06:18:26Z")
I think she wants to break the record of Le Roi Soleil (Louis Quatorze). She only needs to live another 8 years to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/5 "2016-12-26T06:22:37Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/6 "2016-12-26T06:24:05Z")
Is there any tradition of British monarchs abdicating because of age? (I kinda had the impression you were supposed to hang on as long as you were _compos mentis_.) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/7 "2016-12-26T06:33:39Z")
She is cutting back on some of her duties and so Prince Charles, and to some extent William, are picking up the slack. But stepping aside altogether would mean an almost unprecedented break with tradition, and tradition is the lifeblood of the monarchy. The same applies to the oft-heard suggestion that the sometimes-ditzy Charles should step aside in favor of the popular William and Kate. Ain’t gonna happen. By the time Bill ascends the throne, if the monarchy lasts that long, he’ll be a senile old codger. Also, the Queen is very popular and despite some missteps during the divorce and death of Diana, and some unfortunate antics among the family, she herself has been an outstanding exemplar of the royal ideal. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/8 "2016-12-26T07:12:40Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Yeah she should have abdicated a decade ago. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/9 "2016-12-26T07:42:35Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Is there any tradition of British monarchs abdicating because of age? > > (I kinda had the impression you were supposed to hang on as long as you were _compos mentis_.) No, they don’t abdicate because of age. There’s only been one voluntary abdication since 1066 and that was her uncle Edward VIII. That shook the monarchy badly and the Queen had said on more than one occasion that she views her coronation oath as binding until death. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/10 "2016-12-26T08:11:00Z")
They don’t see it as a question of power or privilege, but one of obligation and duty. “Reigning” has not been “ruling” for some centuries now. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/11 "2016-12-26T08:21:20Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > They don’t see it as a question of power or privilege, but one of obligation and duty. “Reigning” has not been “ruling” for some centuries now. If you watch _The Crown_ this comes through loud and clear. I would never expect her to abdicate in favor of Charles. It doesn’t surprise me that she’s turned over some of the goodwill duties to William, Kate, and Harry. That’s what she and Philip did when her father George VI was ill. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/12 "2016-12-26T08:29:10Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Is hanging onto power this long the right thing to do? It’s a job for life, whether the monarch is doing a good job or not. I’m not a monarchist but is there any view that she is doing anything other than an exceptional job? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/13 "2016-12-26T09:03:49Z")
Like the Roman Catholic Church’s Popes, the UK Monarchy is facing a situation where modern medicine permits people to live several decades past their prime, in relatively good health, but sans a lot of vigour. Charles is going to be 70 soon. If Mum lives to be as old as her Mum, he will be nearing 80 when he becomes King; he is already passed retirement age right now. Pretty sure the Benedict XVI rule; retire when approaching senile old age; rather than hang on forever, will soon have to be seriously considered. [QUOTE=penultima thule] I’m not a monarchist but is there any view that she is doing anything other than an exceptional. [/QUOTE] She old. To paraphrase Chris Rock, at that age you are doing a bad job. Cause if you was younger, you would have done more. If EIIR and Charles had the decency to die at the age Margaret did,at age 72, Charles would have been King for near 16 years now, and William would have become King at 40.;)😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/14 "2016-12-26T09:13:32Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Like the Roman Catholic Church’s Popes, the UK Monarchy is facing a situation where midern medicine permits people to live several decades past their prime, in relatively good health, but sans a lot of vigour. > > Charles is going to be 70 soon. If Mum lives to be as old as her Mum, he will be nearing 80 when he becomes King; he is already passed retirement age right now. Pretty sure the Benedict XVI rule; retire when approaching senile old age; rather than hang on forever, will soon have to be seriously considered. Which “Benedict XVI rule”? He broke precedent when he “retired” from the papacy. The only reason the Brits keep the monarchy is tradition. _Their_ tradition is that the monarch serves until death. There was a Regency when George III went around the bend–but he was not actually replaced. Charles makes some public appearances & there’s a younger generation able to tour the Comonwealth with plenty of “vigour.” ---
**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:** [December 26, 2016, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/15 "2016-12-26T09:15:26Z")
As others have said, being Queen is not a privilege, but an obligation, which she assumed when she took the oath. She should remain Queen as long as she is able to fulfill her obligations … and there’s no reason to think she isn’t. Long Live the Queen! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/16 "2016-12-26T09:58:38Z")
Besides tradition and obligation, as I understand it in the modern era her job is largely to serve as a unifying figure and nationalist icon; and as she’s quite popular she can do that just fine despite her age. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/17 "2016-12-26T10:00:22Z")
She is cutting right back. Quite soon she will be the figurehead with even the most important roles delegated. It doesn’t matter too much, the rules are clear and they don’t exactly need a ‘transition team’. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/18 "2016-12-26T11:10:26Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > It’s a job for life, whether the monarch is doing a good job or not. > I’m not a monarchist but is there any view that she is doing anything other than an exceptional job? Did she do much in regards to either the Scottish or EU referendums? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/19 "2016-12-26T11:25:06Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Did she do much in regards to either the Scottish or EU referendums? Should she have? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632/20 "2016-12-26T11:31:57Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Should she have? To the extent that the monarch has a job, keeping the United Kingdom united seems like it would certainly be a key job requirement. And to the extent that the monarch has any powers, the power of the bully pulpit is really all there is, so if that is not being used, then I would say that _it could be argued_ that failure to use it would be another aspect of not doing the job. (Though, I think you could argue that the monarch is supposed to use her position more to drive the soft interests of the UK internationally, rather than domestically, so as not to distract from the real government.) Overall, I can see the monarch sitting back on the topic of the EU, but not on the topic of Scotland. Though, I did suggest in one thread that a younger monarch could use his influence to try and parlay British independence from the EU as a first step towards forming an English-language union in its stead. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-is-90-should-she-have-held-power-as-queen-this-long-vs-letting-charles-rule/775632.md?page=2)