"Keep Calm and Carry On..."

In honor of the the Queen of England's Jubilee marking 60 years of her reign, just wanted to add my thoughts about Queen Elizabeth. First of all, have you ever noticed how the wealthy always name their kids with England's ex or current royalty names? When we lived in Alamo Heights in San Antonio, (which is all of SA's "Blue Bloods" of society) it always amazed me that most girls had the name Elizabeth or Katherine somewhere in their long pedigree. When debutante's names were read, they sounded like the princesses they were named after, as they imitated England's coronation processes. The name thing echoed the same in the wealthier sororities at the University of Texas as well, but I digress.
My emotions about this queen have run the gamut. Partial to Princess Diana, I could see the queen's disdain for her and despised her for many years. Too, as a female, who could possibly like the dowdy clothes she has worn all of her life? Even in her twenties she dressed like her fifties, with her boring suits, and matching hats and handbags. When Diana died, I saw a tiny shimmer of humanity in the queen, but ever so slightly.
For years, I wondered why she was so stingy with the crown and wouldn't step down so her son could be king, and now her grandson. Clearly she's really old now and England would be happier following Prince William and new wife Catherine. Some say she won't let go of her scepter unless it's pried out of her cold, dead hands, and I read yesterday that she plans on ruling until her death.
After thinking about it, I've decided she is privy to family dirt, and still thinks she's the best man for the job. She knows her son Charles is one of the biggest wimps on the planet, and he disqualified himself with the Camilla affair for years. Then of course there is Prince William, who she knows is going to be great some day, but why subject him to this kind of pressure when he just got married?
As much as I think this queen is staid and boring, she has provided stability for England at a time when everything seems to have the carpet ripped out from beneath.
Long live the Queen...