To me the queen is very klug (smart). She keeps her own counsel. She is discreet, patient and astonishingly hard-working.

She never lets age, anxiety or fatigue stand between her and her commitment to duty. She is wary but never world- weary, wise and warmer than you’d think. She is interested, curious and surprisingly open- minded.

Last week at the Jubilee Arts “do”, I watched her chatting to soul singers, satirists and Joan Collins with equal ease. I was touched by her genuine smile and her animation.

She looked very pretty, though she never courts the fashion of the moment but evolves with current thought, and has modified her accent, her clothes and her comfort zones to suit — but not be dictated to — by the times. She is not vain.

She sees about 160 people a day, often over four engagements. That’s four changes of outfit and 160 odd hands to shake and nervousness to soothe. People get tongue-tied in her presence.

(I myself, having been told to call her Ma’am to rhyme with Pam, managed to call her Pam at least twice and to throw a small boiled potato across the 1834 room —don’t ask — I have no idea how it happened or who saw it happen. I only know the corgis were no help. Total disdain and refusal to eat up the evidence).

On a small scale, I know the tedium of just a couple of evenings of strangers in large gatherings and believe me, your face aches, your feet throb and you yearn for a bath and beans on toast... and she can give me almost 20 years.

I’m mad about her. I think she has daunting courage.. and understands about love and sacrifice.

I think she’s very bright and very knowledgeable….and it must be killing for her not to be able to air her views and her intelligence. I think we have a lot to learn from her about restraint.

I think she’s probably not a balebustah but a cracking bubba, and priceless above her own rubies.
I think she’s not just klug but a maven and a mensch... and I think, like Queen, she rocks!