Tuesday February 12, 1980

_. To the office with Jim R. Dad joined us because he is attending a course in the metropolis. Jennie gave us a blast of Henry Purcell on her recorder. Playing an instrument in a cramped moving vehicle cannot be easy. Dad could not look at me and we struggled to stifle our giggles. Supposing Jim had braked suddenly?

Abdication? Never.

Following the recent announcement that a certain Dutch Queen is to throw in her crown a poll has been conducted here to test public opinion as to whether our own dear Queen should follow suit and throw in the towel in favour of the Prince of Wales. Of those asked nearly two thirds thought the Queen should 'retire' at the age of 60 [in seven years time]. Let me make it quite clear. The British monarchy is no 'bicycling monarchy' like those over in Holland and Belgium. No other monarch on earth goes through the ritual of a sacred coronation. This sets Britain apart. The Queen dedicated her life to her people and her country in the Coronation oath. She succeeded to the throne 28 years ago at a ridiculously early age, directly because of the abdication of her uncle, Edward VIII. The very word 'abdication' must surely be abhorrent to her. In the years to come, when she is old and fragile, she can hand some of her duties to the Prince of Wales. The British monarch is by tradition a mother or father figure. Her prestige and influence will grow with the passing years, as will her wisdom. For goodness sake let's not hear any more talk of abdication. Besides, how could the Prince of Wales be comfortably crowned in his mother's life time? How could he be proclaimed our 'undoubted King' when his mother is enjoying the rudest of health, astride her horse, at Balmoral?

-=-