QUEEN ELIZABETH II URGED BY UK REPUBLICANS TO RETIRE FOLLOWING SAPPHIRE JUBILEE

Queen Elizabeth II has been urged by the republicans to step down as the head of state as she marks her sapphire jubilee as queen. The monarch celebrated her 65th year on the throne on the 6th of February making her the longest serving British monarch in UKs history.

Having celebrated her 90th birthday last year and suffered a heavy cold over Christmas that led to her being absent from church, the republicans have begun to raise questions as to how long she can continue in her role.

Speaking on this, Graham Smith, Republic's CEO, speaking to Independent, said it would not be surprising that someone at her age would be unable to perform her duties optimally and so the reasonable thing will be for her to step down.

"it's very reasonable to expect her to step down and retire and then let the people decide who was going to replace her [but] it would completely go against everybody's understanding of her view of the role. She takes the notion she has some kind of divine right quite seriously," Smith said.

"It's been reported throughout her reign that she's opposed to abdication."

It is expected that her son, Prince Charles, will ascend the throne when/if Queen Elizabeth II retires, however, the republicans are beginning to clamor for a head of state that gets chosen by the people, not one who inherits it.


Smith said, "But obviously it needs to be up to the people to choose someone. You can imagine any number of people being chosen. People who have got experience in public life, whether it be academia, or law, or politics."