95-year old Queen Elizabeth gracefully declined a nomination as the 30th “Oldie of the Year,” an annual award given by Oldie Magazine, a “light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity.” Previously celebrated by the annual tongue-in-cheek award, among others, were John Major (politics), Olivia de Haviland (entertainment), Glenda Jackson (entertainment) and Ian Paisley (politics).
Her Majesty’s Private Secretary sent a letter to the committee who’d nominated her, explaining that:
Her Majesty believes you are as old as you feel, as such The Queen does not believe she meets the relevant criteria to be able to accept and hopes you will find a more worthy recipient.
I doubt HM has ever heard the phrase “mic drop,”
But, bang. And, wow.
Gyles Brandreth, chairman of the awards, responded by saying that he appreciated the “lovely” response and that:
We endorse what the Queen says and understand completely, but we are keeping our powder dry and maybe in a decade or so it might be appropriate to try again.
May that happy day come to pass, a decade or so from now. She’s looking a bit frail at the moment, but I don’t count her out.
Meanwhile, the Palace approved the choice of 74-year old Camilla Parker Bowles (aka “The Duchess of Cornwall” and second wife of Prince Charles) to deliver the keynote speech at the ceremony and present the awards to this years winners.
LOL.
