QEII would "appall" Henry VII with her frugality

[TLLK]

The Queen is so frugal it would appal Henry VIII, historian says 

[Curryong]

To a degree, it's all relative though, isn't it? The Queen sent Charles out once to look for a dog lead he'd lost, has her cereal in Tupperware containers, switches off electric lights when she leaves a room. However, she holidays in her own castle, her rooms, both private and State, are full of priceless China, she has several racehorses (hardly a cheap hobby) and a collection of brooches alone that would probably equal in price several small nations' GDP for the year.

On the whole I agree with the historian about her thrifty ways, though. Elizabeth grew up in a world of worldwide economic  depression (there was a nationwide General Strike the year she was born) and then a world war followed by years of austerity. She's a careful and cautious woman by nature anyway.

Don't expect it to be that way in the new reign though. Anyone who has a tiara will be polishing it up!

[LouisFerdinand]

Did not Princess Elizabeth have some frugal habits as a child?

[Curryong]

Elizabeth and her sister were brought up very simply by Royal standards in the midst of a loving family, with simple meals and regular habits.

However, again it's all relative. She had a few young friends but the environs they played in were distinctly upper class. (Elizabeth once told someone that she would look through the large windows of BP after they moved there and wonder about the lives of people she saw moving around the Mall.)

It was a very separate sort of existence even when the family lived in a town house in London. There wouldn't have been too many little girls whose grandparents on both sides of the family lived in castles, even if the Bowes Lyons were a fun loving family who were the reverse of grand. Or who were bridesmaids to Royal relatives, or had ponies to ride when in the country, or were photographed every time she and her sister went on outings.

[amabel]

That doesn't mean that she isn't frugal.  I think she is careful about being seen to spend money, because she's grew up during the Depression, saw the Abdication and the WWII, when times were hard fro everyone and esp for the poorer people.. And she's always been seen to be careful about money, because she knows that it looks good to the public.
yes she keeps racehorses but racign is also enjoyed by the public and wagered on, so I daresay that most people would nto really considered too much that keeping racehorses is an expensive pastime.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

Please...this is a PR piece to distract ppl from the cost of the monarchy....tupperware vs the massive expense is hardly a drop in the ocean  :lol:

[royalanthropologist]

Agreed. The idea that Elizabeth of Windsor is frugal is ridiculous. It is like Marie Antoinette trying her hand at gardening. It is make believe. When push comes to shove, she just needs to ask and all will be delivered. To her credit, she has a smaller staff than Charles who likes to travel with an army.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

Very true, reminds me of the Victor Hugo quote of "adversity breeds men, prosperity breeds monsters". I think charles is indulged by the relative prosperity of post war Britain (I know its not a word usually used to describe Britain in that period, but given the queen would have lived thru the depression and WW2, albeit in well heeled comfort), it would still have some effect on her outlook to extravagance compared to  charles....and hey anytime I can draw the comparison to Charles and monsters with some claim to innocence on my part, ill take it LOLZ  :partaay: