zlacker

>>xd+(OP)
Not that this is quite the right time, but is there any list of the Queen's achievements that isn't simply "she lived for very long" and "she witnessed some important events"? I fail to see why this is impressive.

>>andrep+Fb
It's impressive because the rest of us have to read about these things in history books or in the news. She was there for it all, not only witnessing, but discussing, events of profound significance with the people at the center of them.

And, I think, show-me-the-achievements represents a misunderstanding of the role of the monarch in the British government and British culture. It's not comparable to the Prime Minister or the US President, for example.