TONI ANNE : Happy Diamond Jubilee

With the buzz of the Diamond Jubilee and also the London Olimpics this year-You'd have to be living under a rock not to notice!
I have just watched a couple of programs on tele such as "Elizabeth: Wife, Mother, Granmother" and the Queen never fails to amaze me.
I am aware there are people with very differents views of the monarchy, myself I am a royalist and proud to have a queen.
Reflecting on myself; a soon-to-be 24 year old, Princess Elizabeth was onlt 25 when she saddly heard the death of the father and became queen. Not only that, but soon after her coronation traveled to most of the commonwealth countries as part of her new duties and had to leave her two young children for over 6 months; Charles and Anne; who was only 3 years old at the time.
Looking at her now I don't think many people appriciate how hard it must be to make an effort to visit all these contries: open all their parlaments, visit all their tragedys aswell as read and sign all the documents given to her daily in the " Red Box" from ministers and members of parlament. She also meets with the priminister weekly to discuss the goverment and the country whilst being the head of the Armed Forces and the Church of England. On top of this she has also brought up four children, which after watching programs like this, both her and Prince Phillip seem to be very hands on parents.
And always carry themselves with such poise and gracefulness.
The Queen is the epitome of englishness with her stiff upper lip and her head down and get on with it approach.

She is an inspiration for women; becoming a leader in generaly a mans world at that time, to be thrust into a life and job she was never ment to have whilst holding a family together.
She inspires me, she has shown what women can do and how elegant and in control you can be whist doing it. I believe our Monarchy is something to be proud off, Queen Elizabeth II is one of only 3 lone queens to stand on their throne and all three have been historical: Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II.
So this weekend I am hoping to finish a dress to ware to a jubilee party to celebrate 60year's of our Queen. I'v also got flags on my car and and hoping to put bunting every where!