Queen Elizabeth II has received many awards during her lifetime, but this October she turned down the one offered by the monthly magazine The Oldie. The prize is ‘Oldie of the Year’, meant to celebrate the contributions of the elderly who still take active part in public life. The prize has been awarded to illustrious individuals, such as Oscar-winners and Nobel laureates, as well as the Queen’s late husband, Prince Philip, who at the time thanked the magazine stating: “There is nothing like it for morale to be reminded that the years are passing […] But it is nice to be remembered at all.” The Oldie of the Year is a playful and ironic prize, and the Queen turned it down accordingly. She let the magazine know that she does not believe she meets the relevant criteria for the prize and that “you are only as old as you feel”. Even though she was seen – for the first time – using a walking cane at a major public event this October, the 95-year-old Queen is still incredibly active and committed to her public engagements. After refusing the prize, the Queen sent her “warm wishes” to The Oldie, a magazine founded in 1992 as “a light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity.” _____________________ Carlo Dellonte (Images: Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons)