– ‘Still point’ in stormy world –
The 1990s were her toughest years as a series of crises and a less-deferential society led to serious doubts about the future of the family.
Three of her four children went through highly public divorces, and she appeared out of touch with modern Britain with her muted response to the 1997 death of Princess Diana, former wife of Prince Charles, as the rest of the country mourned.
But she was able to ride the storm, and a series of recent good-news stories such as the wedding of William and Kate, the birth of their two children George and Charlotte and a diamond jubilee have all helped boost her popularity.
The birth of George meant there are now four generations of present and future rulers of Britain alive at the same time, for the first time since Victoria’s reign.
Prince Charles, 66, is also a record-holder thanks to his mother’s longevity, having three years ago become the longest-waiting heir to the British throne.
For Daily Telegraph pundit Allison Pearson, he will have large shoes to fill.
“A still point in a tumultuous world, the clock face over which the hands of time revolve, she has been with us for as long as we can remember,” she wrote.
About The Author
