Today is Queen Elizabeth's birthday - do you know how old she is? She's hale and hearty at 83, and she's been queen since 1952, making her one of the longest-serving heads of state (if not the actual longest) in the world today. In six years she will have reigned longer than Queen Victoria, and there's no reason not to think that she'll make it. A few days ago, her husband Prince Phillip became the longest-serving prince consort in British history, if you care about such things.
And wasn't it interesting to see the Queen and the Prince standing next to the Obamas a few weeks ago? The Obamas are not only about a generation and a half younger but also a lot taller, and the contrast was striking. Note that I'm not dissing the Queen and the Prince - in their unique position the wisdom and dignity that comes from decades of service seems to me to be an appealing advantage. Not only that but I think the Queen is mellowing in her old age. Who could have anticipated that she would not only let Michelle Obama embrace her but even seemed to return the gesture. One more example of how things are changing in royalty-land.
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