The forthcoming Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II can be seen as a celebration of the good fortune of the British nation to have such a remarkable person as Head of State. Even at 96 after 70 years on the throne, her personal charm, good cheer and smiling face can still break through the clouds of gloom that otherwise overshadow the nation’s public affairs. Her Government is in crisis and her Prime Minister in disgrace; millions of her people are having to choose between eating and heating as the cost of living soars ever upwards; a vicious war in Europe brings a threat of global starvation … This is as exceptional a time of trial as any she has faced in her reign.