Life Lessons From Queen Elizabeth

This year, Queen Elizabeth, one of the most enduring rulers of all time, celebrates her 60th year on the throne. According to the British Monarchy’s official website (yes, they have one), during that reign “television has been invented, man has walked on the moon for the first time and the Berlin Wall has been built and then razed to the ground.” And Sally Bedell Smith, author of the just published biography “Elizabeth The Queen,” says the monarch has had “an epic life.” Throughout it all, the queen, 85, has maintained a steady, dignified unflappability—the personification of the World War II admonition to “Keep Calm And Carry On.” So what lessons can we learn from one of the world's most celebrated and chronicled women? Here are a few:

Do What You're Supposed To Do--And Do It Well

Elizabeth became queen in 1952 at the age of 26, just after the death of her beloved father. It was a tough task, but a no-nonsense upbringing had prepared her to become Queen. During World War II, she walked throughout bomb-ridden London neighborhoods with her parents, and she later broadcast her own speeches on the radio. Said one observer, decades later, "There are no reliable recorded incidents of the Queen refusing to carry out a duty expected of her."

Marry For Love Although royal history is filled with stories of unhappy arranged marriages, Elizabeth’s marriage is for real: She fell in love with her future husband, Philip, when she was 17 and he was 22. Four years later they married, and they’ve been in love ever since. The Duke of Edinburgh has been a lower-key figure than Elizabeth – in effect, walking half a step behind her – but the couple’s grandson, Prince Harry, said in a recent interview, “I don't think that she could do it without him.”

Face Conflict Head On In the early days of Elizabeth’s reign, her husband, wanting to leave some lasting mark on the royals, wanted the family to change its surname from Windsor to Mountbatten (his uncle’s name.) On the advice of Winston Churchill, Elizabeth issued a proclamation that the family name would remain Windsor. It was a brave stand for a young woman, wife and queen.

Let Loose Once In A While Elizabeth has been seen to fist-pump and shout when one of her horses wins a race, and she has what the British call a GSOH (Good Sense of Humor.)

Never Complain, Never Explain The queen, who takes great pride in her family, nonetheless suffered through a series of excruciating scandals involving Prince Charles and Diana, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and her daughter Anne. The tabloids had a field day with tales of affairs and (in Sarah’s case) racy photos. The only thing Elizabeth ever said about the scandals was to refer to 1992 as an “annus horribilis” in a speech four days after another sad event—a serious fire at Windsor Castle. Those two words spoke volumes.

Be Flexible "The Queen," with Helen Mirren (left) playing the monarch,accurately portrayed a difficult episode in Elizabeth's reign. After the death of Diana in 1997, the queen came to realize that her taciturn image was alienating her subjects. So she paid a visit to the impromptu memorial outside Kensington Palace, and on the day of Diana’s funeral, she impulsively bowed deeply as the casket passed by.

If You Like Your Style, Keep It There have been more than a few jokes about the Queen’s stodgy appearance, but she likes it and she’s sticking to it. Her clothes, originally designed by the British stalwarts Norman Hartnell and then Hardy Amies, now are made by Stewart Parvin and the senior dresser to the Queen, Angela Kelly. Even though the outfits might always look the same, Parvin and Kelly incorporate pieces of old material in them – some dating back to when the Queen was Princess Elizabeth.

Don't Brood “I find,” Elizabeth once remarked, “that I can often put things out of mind which are disagreeable.” Lucky woman.

Take Care Of Your Purse The Queen’s ever-present handbag has provoked a lot of guesswork over the years. According to “What’s In The Queen’s Handbag And Other Royal Secrets”, Elizabeth carries family snapshots and charms her children and grandcihildren have given her. Plus a purse hook so she won’t have to leave the bag on a dirty floor. No cash or keys, though. A Queen doesn’t really need that stuff.

Stay In Touch Somehow we can’t see the Queen posting on Facebook (“OMG, ‘Downton Abbey’ was so SAD”). But the monarchy itself has a website (www.royal.gov.uk) as well as a Facebook page, a YouTube channel and a twitter account (@BritishMonarchy). The website also lists some Royal Household job openings, but thank goodness, the Monarch isn’t one of them.