The Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show

[TigerLilyTail]

I've read so much about how she is frail/dying/already dead etc. and I'm so pleased to see her looking happy and animated at the Royal Windsor Horse Show even if she is still not walking around. I hope she will be with us for many more years.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-61437148

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10812857/Queen-smiles-arrives-Royal-Windsor-Horse-Show.html

@Knifer It's incredibly offensive to suggest that wheelchair users are 'object[s] of pity'. Thanks a lot, chum, but actually, we are people just like everyone else; we don't want or need anyone's pity.

I'm a republican but at a human level I don't ill wish Elizabeth. She's very old and I think it's bizarre to begrudge her going to a horse show. I don't even feel she has any kind of duty to use a mobility aid: like anyone else, I think the choice is hers. It's her body. But it would be nice if people could discuss it without being rude about wheelchair users. Presumably most posters on this board are not 96, and thus not entitled to a degree of 'well, such views are to be expected...'

Thank you for your passive aggressive commen

Your speciality.

Whatever you say.

Pathetic answer

@Innocenta my daughter is a wheelchair user, pal. She hates the pitying looks, the pitying comments etc. But, putting that aside, HRH was very affected when the world saw her sister in a wheelchair and the press pitied her for her declining health and the loss of all she once was. She (and her aides) do not want that replicated, citing her pride and dignity and her wish not to be pitied.

Take it then that you're fine with the dubious agenda of a group no one can actually join, but who claim to speak for the people, and who think the Tory party is jolly fine except for not being right wing enough. Do you just agree with anything anti-monarchy?

@Knifer You are not a wheelchair user. Don't call us 'object[s] of pity'. You don't have special permission to do that because your daughter is a chair user.

I think the stuff about the Queen not wanting to use a wheelchair is just gossip and rumors, right? We all know that a lot of the gossip and rumors written about the Royal family are complete bollocks. It really bothers me that people are stating the wheelchair thing as fact. She may just be in a lot of pain some days. Really, no one knows what’s going on except “mobility problems” which could mean a dozen different things.

Sigh.

I am not calling anyone an object of pity. I'm saying that the queen does not want to be viewed as one and there have been several stories and articles stating that she does not want to be seen in a wheelchair because of the public reaction when her sister was, and she doesn't want that level of shock and pity transferred onto herself. SHE (or her aides) views it as something that would invite pity. Which is a fair assumption from someone who used to be mobile, since my daughter is constantly getting, "oh, bless you/that's such a shame/what a pity/you must be so gutted" etc, and I as her mother also get those comments regularly.

Exactly.

There is nothing shocking or undignified about using a wheelchair, or walking frame or stick to support herself and be able to carry on with her job. People get old and so has the queen despite her thinking God has given her special rights to rule until she dies as a queen (he hasn't).

After all she is only human like the rest of us and will die one die exactly the same as the rest of us.

Actually it's not what everyone does. There are a lot of elderly people who eschew the use of walking aids and wheelchairs. Sadly, for many older people, there is something about accepting their declining mobility and health as the age, that they find difficult and visual aids become something they will actively avoid. You will see many older people staying at home or in their rooms in residential homes rather than having to accept the use of walking aids and wheelchairs.

I'm not saying this is right, but it is very common especially in elderly people.

the queen was actually carrying her walking stick at the horse show

very very typical for many elderly people

@Abraxan you are absolutely right . My late much missed MIL refused to use a walking stick or zimmer even in her late 90s as did my late Aunt ( 94). What I call The War Generation are often very stubborn and proud. I refuse to criticise HM for this decision.

We've no idea whether she's refused to use a wheelchair or not! Honestly, unless you are her close confidante (unlikely?), then it's just gossip isn't it?
I thought she looked very relaxed and happy - the pictures were charming.

Not necessarily, to be fair. My mother, for instance, wouldn't entertain the idea until she reached the point after being hospitalised for some time (at 93) when she simply couldn't walk at all - and even then, she hated it. It may be perverse, but that's how some people feel, and they are entitled to their feelings.

It’s only been reported in the tabloids and very much as a “according to sources close to the Queen…” type of thing. No credible news outlets have printed the story. The tabloids print a lot of conflicting rumors about the Royal family. It’s just idle gossip for the most part.

If you read the articles carefully, you will see that they are clear that it's just speculation and rumor that the Queen doesn't want to use a wheelchair. No one knows this. At this point it's just gossip.

What I mean is that whether the Queen uses a wheelchair or not in private, nobody knows for sure as there are no named sources on the record stating this and no photos to prove it. It's possible, but not really any of our business what she does in private.

The Queen has dropped out of events based on medical advice. That she dropped out because she doesn't want to be seen in a wheelchair is 100% speculation and rumor. It's just gossip.

That the Queen has been seen carrying a walking stick at numerous public events is true though. There are many pictures and videos of this.

when i said she was carrying a walking stick, i meant carrying but not using

TBH I was delighted to see the Queen enjoying herself at the horse show... but having worked with the elderly I can say that at that extremely grand age there are good days, and not so good days. And sadly at that great age it is very very possible that they can go to bed on any night and just slip away silently. I wish her well..

Some older people embrace mobility aids and some don’t. It’s most definitely a personal choice.

I’ve had a look at the ‘taxpayers alliance’ - not much ethnic diversity there on the team, and a under representation of women. Just looks like a bunch of white men telling the rest of us what to think hmmmm

I heard on something on tv that the stick was Prince Philip’s

Such an event does not involve following strict protocol. She can afford to be more spontaneous and cheery without it being flagged as unusual behaviour for her ( even though it is).