Queen of England Politely Turns Down ‘Oldie of the Year’—Because Age Is Just a Number

As the Brits would say, she’s a bit of a smart-arse. Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II has declined an “Oldie of the Year” award with a polite but firm letter. The assistant private secretary to the 95-year-old monarch wrote that the queen did not believe she met The Oldie magazine’s “relevant criteria to be able to accept” the prize, as she “believes you are as old as you feel.” Despite her response, The Oldie’s awards ceremony got a royal seal of approval, with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, appearing to hand out a number of awards, including “Truly Scrumptious Oldie of the Year” (which went to Dame Delia Smith). Past “Oldie of the Year” winners include David Hockney, Peter Blake, and Glenda Jackson. In 2012, Prince Philip, the queen’s husband who died in April, was named Consort of the Year. He accepted the title, saying, “it is nice to be remembered at all.”