Chris in London said:Like most leaders none of the above was wholly bad nor wholly good. We the people give political power to elected politicians, and notwithstanding that they all seem to be cunts of the highest order that is as it should be. For better or worse, we get the political leadership we choose at the ballot box. We better bloody well had do, as well - some of the the social choices made under Thatcher, for instance, or some of the economic choices made under Blair are still being paid for.
A head of state however does not wield political power (not in our constitution anyway). Our head of state has largely a representative role, acknowledging that there is some real benefit in building trade relations and so forth. As a head of state, in what is a non-political role however, it is to my mind a good thing to have a person who transcends politics (though many people wouldn't be that surprised if they found that HMQ's actual political beliefs are not dissimilar to Nigel Farage's).
The Queen has little if any real political power but our head of state has nonetheless an important role on the world stage. Anachronistic or not, I am much happier that the role is undertaken by Elizabeth II than I would be by a President Blair or a President Thatcher. I am far happier that the nation I live in is represented by her than by a career politician.
This is far too sensible an opinion to be posted in this thread. You didn't call anybody a **** and didn't once wish for genocide.