The Daily Star, AP, Gregory Katz, January 29, 2013
LONDON: One
European queen has announced her retirement. Any chance Europe's most famous
queen - Elizabeth II of Britain - might join her?
Not likely,
experts say.
The
spectacle of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands stepping down in April at age 75
so her 45-year-old son can become king is sparking some speculation in Britain
about whether Elizabeth might follow suit so her eldest son, Prince Charles,
can start his reign.
Elizabeth
is 86. Charles, 64, has been heir to the throne since he was three.
The British
press poked fun at these concerns Tuesday, with the Daily Mirror featuring a
photo of Beatrix with the headline: "Queen Gives Up Her Throne to
Son." Then, in smaller type, "Easy, Charles...It's Queen Beatrix of
Netherlands."
Others
said, "Sorry Charles...it's in Holland, not here!"
But
commentators quickly noted that Elizabeth - who seems to be in excellent health
- has said in the past that she regards being queen as a "job for
life."
At her
Diamond Jubilee last summer marking 60 years on the throne, former Prime
Minister John Major said the idea that the queen would abdicate was
"absolutely absurd." He said she would serve her entire life unless a
health crisis made it impossible.
Author
Robert Lacey, who has written several books about the British monarchy, said
Beatrix's decision would likely firm up Elizabeth's resolve.
"It
would reinforce her feeling that the Dutch don't know what monarchy is about,
and that she should go on forever," he said. "The crown is a job for
life in the British system."
Lacey said
the idea of abdicating is particularly unpleasant for Elizabeth because her
uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936 so he could marry Wallis Simpson, a
divorced American woman.
The
resulting scandal, remembered as a low point for the monarchy, brought her
father, King George VI, to the throne.
No one in
British history has been heir apparent as long as the now-greying Charles, who
is set to become a grandfather when his daughter-in-law, the former Kate
Middleton, gives birth this summer.
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