- 75 per cent say the Queen is doing a brilliant job of leading the country
- Two thirds say she should consider lightening her load but not retire
- The extra help should come from the Duke of Cambridge say 80 per cent
- One in 10 look to the royals for guidance in morals and manners
By Ruth Styles
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The Queen is doing a wonderful job but needs to start taking things easier are the main findings of a new survey that looked at British attitudes toward the monarchy.
75 per cent said they agreed or strongly agreed that the Queen has done a wonderful job over the last 60 years, while 69 per cent said it was time for the Queen to lighten her schedule - a sharp rebuff to former Labour deputy prime minister, John Prescott, who recently said the Queen should abdicate and 'consider enjoying a long and fulfilling retirement.'
Despite the imminent abdication of the Netherland's Queen Beatrix, those close to the Queen say she is unlikely to follow suit.
Popular: Two thirds think the Queen does a great job while one in 10 look to her for moral guidance
Instead, they say, more duties will be given to the Prince of Charles and the Duke of Cambridge, which will certainly please the 80 per cent who would like to see more of the third in line to the throne.
The findings come in the wake of a health scare for the Queen, which saw her rushed to hospital with a bout of gastroenteritis.
The poll of 2,000 people, which was commissioned by Hello! magazine, also found that 62 per cent were happy to see the Queen team up with the Duchess of Cambridge for some of her engagements.
Veteran BBC Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell - famously described as 'that awful man' by Prince Charles - said that he was unsurprised by the results.
'Her recent brush with gastroenteritis has reminded us that even the most robust constitution cannot be immune to illness.
'She will never retire - that's one point on which we can be absolutely categoric - but after 61 years on the throne, one senses there is an acceptance of the need to lighten the load a little, both for her own sake and her husband's.'
Duty: 69 per cent said the Queen should lighten her workload and pass on some duties to younger royals
Busy: Both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge have begun to take on more work in recent months
Indeed, it is the 91-year-old Duke of Edinburgh who become increasingly frail in recent years, who has given the Queen the most cause for concern.
Most recently, the much-loved senior royal was forced to pull out of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations after succumbing to a serious bladder infection.
Both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge have stepped up their schedule of engagements in recent months as they attempt to support the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, although according to Witchell, Prince William could take on more.
'The hardest person to persuade of the need to slow down will be her [the Queen] but William in particular must realise we're at the point where royal duty will have to take precedence over his military career.'
The Queen's lifelong friend, Lady Anne Glenconner sees things differently, however, telling Hello! that the Queen is 'not the retiring type'.
Worry: The increasingly frail Duke of Edinburgh is giving the Queen cause for concern
Double act: Two thirds said that they would like to see the Queen and Duchess of Cambridge together more
She added: 'She [the Queen] is absolutely able to fulfill her duties. I have seen images of her since she left hospital and she looks as wonderful as ever.
'She is full of energy and optimism and I am sure she will bounce back.'
The Queen's sense of duty has proved popular with the British public, one in 10 of whom say that they look to the monarch and the rest of the Royal Family - although possibly not Prince Harry - for guidance in morals and manners.
Commented royal cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson: 'I have no doubt that it is the Queen's constancy and steadfast adherence to a task and trust she believes is for life that instills in us a nation-defining sense of confidence.
'In that and so much more, she is remarkable.
Help: Other members of the Royal family such as the Yorks and Wessexes could also take on more
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