The carry-on by the mad-dog media (normal people would not have given it a thought) over Andrew's escorting of his mother was unreal. One sometimes-called-in twit took the opportunity to call Andrew a 'grub' on SkyNews. The man is his mother's son, for heaven's sake, and her favourite.

And it was good to see HM make it to the service despite the fussing about her health by busybodies. The woman is 95, full of grit and tenacity that we will never see again - certainly from the new breed of royals like wet William and his wife, making fools of themselves in the Caribbean.

The bit about "Liz" and her "beautiful skin" is sycophantic, though: the poor old lady looked bloody awful for the first time ever, as I remarked to my wife.

Queen Elizabeth we be sorely missed, more so than her husband; and her replacement will never have the admiration and respect that she has had.

I don't often agree with ttbn but on this occasion, I will make an exception.
David

We have had a lot on our plates recently.
From the invasion of the Ukraine, to the
floods up North, to the death of Kimberley
Kitching, to the death of Shane Warne, and
to the budget. Plus there's the election coming
up.

People have different priorities to worry about
I guess - and the media focused varied - including
pieces of the British empire wanting to break away,
as shown by the recent visit of Prince William and Kate
to the Caribbean.

Prince Philip's Memorial did not get the coverage that
Shane Warne's Memorial did (which was magnificent).
Which I guess speaks volumes. Perhaps we are growing up
as a country at last?

Frankly I doubt if many Australians really care about
Which son led the Queen into Westminister Abbey. Prince
Andrew is her son - she's frail, and Prince Philip was
his father. There's more important things to worry
about.

Speaking one's mind isn't always appreciated by the thin skinned or easily offended! But that's the kind of bloke I admire and try to emulate!

As for Liz's wrinkle free skin? Suggest your other half go to spec savers. King Charles? Nah. If the Brits want him as their head of state? They're welcome! Nothing personal. Just a republican.
Alan B.

We left Townsville in late 49, so I wasn't there with you John, in that Townsville sign. I was lined up a few days later in the Bathurst show grounds. I wonder if they transported the same Land Rover along with Liz, ours looked the same.

I was most uncomfortable in my shoes, it wasn't just country village kids that ran barefoot in the 40s Townsville, I doubt there were more than a dozen kids wearing shoes at Townsville Central State School in the 40s. We all could march down the bitumen road, feeling no discomfort barefoot, despite the temperature of black roads in the tropical sun.

I feel a bit sorry for Charley boy, it must have been pretty hard for such a delicate soul to live up to the expectations of a father such as Phillip. Perhaps they hired the wrong governess for him, setting him on the path to woke-ness.

Author's clarification: The comment referring to Elizabeth's "good complexion" was, as the article states, made "a while back", not the present. Actually Philip was still alive and supporting her in Royal duties when that comment was made. Obviously, events of the past year or two have understandably left a heavy toll on the Monarch. At my vintage "a while back" doesn't mean yesterday.

Hasbeen, I know what you mean about walking barefoot on melting bitumen. You could fry an egg on it up there! My mates and I could also wander through the bush laded with prickly wild China apple bushes and Nagoora burrs. Shoes? What the heck were those?Such tales recounted in "Don't Call Me Nev".

Thanks for the article Mikko2- but I'll always support the British Monarchy- the alternative is too terrible to contemplate. Charles seems more settled now than he was in the past. Hopefully he'll take care to avoid gaffs- as they say in The Crown- the monarchs job is to do nothing- but doing nothing takes a lot of work- no kidding intended.