'A Woman of Limited Intelligence'

[Keith Maitland]

A few weeks ago Peter Morgan, a staunch Republican, called the Queen a “countryside woman of limited intelligence", during his conversation with the Sunday Times's Culture Magazine, and claimed that Elizabeth II "would have much preferred looking after her dogs and breeding horses to being Queen."

These are harsh words from someone who built his career by chronicling the monarch's reign—and whose sensitive portrait of a woman committed to duty and country has inspired a new generation of people to love the Queen.

Is Mr. Morgan aware of the paradox?

[Shaker]

The comment about preferring to walk the dogs and breed horses rather than be the queen is one I've heard before.

Mr Morgan wrote both The Queen and The Crown, regards royal biographers as "scurrilous" and "insolent" and was awarded the CBE - are you sure he's a "staunch republican"? An Independent article says that he's "described as a staunch republican" but unfortunately omits to say described by who, when and where, which is fairly standard journalistic practice for tagging an opinion onto someone without having to do anything as infra dig. as justifying it with any evidence.

[jeremyp]

since we have a constitutional monarchy, it doesn't matter how intelligent the monarch is. Fortunate really, when you consider the next one.

[Nearly Sane]

Preferring looking after dogs and horses as opposed to being Queen seems eminently sensible and I say that as a 'staunch republican'

[Walter]

since we have a constitutional monarchy, it doesn't matter how intelligent the monarch is. Fortunate really, when you consider the next one.

imagine yourself as king and all it entails , do you think you would proud and enjoy it ?

[Rhiannon]

I’ve never considered the Queen to be thick but it’s not hard to see she’s not fantastically bright either. Just rather...ordinary.

[Robbie]

Yes, like many people who maybe left school after O levels but ended up doing very well. It was a rather stupid and unkind thing to say because people will interpret "limited intelligence" to mean 'thick', when everyone's intelligence is limited. The Queen has certainly taken pains in her life to learn about different things and presents herself well.  Breeding horses and dogs successfully is quite a talent too.