London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

"Not In Relevant Criteria": Queen Elizabeth Turns Down "Oldie Of The Year" Award

"Not In Relevant Criteria": Queen Elizabeth Turns Down "Oldie Of The Year" Award

The publication wrote to palace officials in July to ask if Queen Elizabeth II would accept its Oldie of the Year award, which was previously given to her late husband and her own mother.
Queen Elizabeth II turned down a prize celebrating the elderly, assessing that at 95 she did not meet the criteria, The Oldie magazine said Tuesday.

The publication wrote to palace officials in July to ask if she would accept its Oldie of the Year award, which was previously given to her late husband and her own mother.

But in a reply dated August 21 from her Balmoral estate in northeast Scotland, the monarch's assistant private secretary, Tom Laing-Baker, made his boss' apologies.

"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," he added.

The tongue-in-cheek award, which celebrates the achievements of older people, went to the French-American actress and dancer Leslie Caron -- who is 90.

The Queen succeeded her father king George VI in 1952 and next year celebrates her Platinum Jubilee to mark 70 years on the throne but she has played down her longevity.

When she became Britain's longest-reigning monarch in September 2015, she treated the day like any other, opening a new railway in the Scottish border region with England.

"Inevitably, a long life can pass many milestones; my own is no exception," she said at the time.

Despite her husband Prince Philip's death in April aged 99, and her advanced age, the Queen has not retired from public life, and maintains a regular diary of audiences and appearances.

Last week she was seen for the first time in public using a walking stick.

But on Tuesday, she held two audiences via videolink with the Japanese and EU ambassador, and was scheduled to host a reception for international business and investment leaders.

The writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, who was a friend of the Prince, wrote in The Oldie that he was delighted to receive the award in 2011.

"There is nothing like it for morale to be reminded that the years are passing -- ever more quickly -- and that bits are beginning to drop off the ancient frame," he replied.

"But it is nice to be remembered at all."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×