Mercy Muroki: Let’s not let narcissistic royals overcloud what should be a year of celebration for the Queen

Royal controversy is nothing new. It's as old as the Royals themselves.

JUST over the last few decades alone, the Royal Family has had its fair share of scandal.King Edward the 8th abdicated in 1936 so he could marry a divorced American woman, Our future King Prince Charles had an affair, leading to a divorce, and Diana's 1995 bombshell tell-all interview.

There were cash for access claims on the part of Prince Andrew's former wife Fergie in 2010 – who was also once photographed in a somewhat 'compromising' position with her financial advisor while still married to the Prince.

And...Prince Harry once thought it would be a good idea to turn up to a fancy dress party dressed as a Nazi.

And a Royal crisis currently looms as the Metropolitan police revealed yesterday they are investigating allegations of a cash-for-honours scandal at Prince Charles' charity.

I must say Prince Charles' team have stated publicly that he was NOT aware of any links between donations to the foundation and any honours.

And, of course, this news came just a day after Prince Andrew settled a sex assault case brought against him – (of course, for claims he has always denied).

And then there's Prince Harry... who after effectively abandoning ties with his family, is set to publish a tell-all memoir later this year.

And yet, against all this madness, one person remains as graceful, dignified, and dutiful as ever. The Queen.

As the news was coming out about Andrew's court settlement, and Prince Charles' investigation, yesterday.

What was the Queen doing?

She was pictured, smiling, meeting army officials at Windsor Castle as she returned to her duties after a minor covid scare.

The day before, she was holding virtual audiences with ambassadors from Estonia and Spain. I am perpetually in awe at Our Queen.

I really am. She's NINETY SIX in just a few weeks. S

he's the world's oldest and longest-reigning monarch. She's just TWO years away from being the longest reigning monarch EVER in history, a spot currently taken by Louis the fourteenth of France.

She's overseen 14 Prime Ministers. And I love this fact: EIGHT out of TEN people in the UK today were born during her reign.

Eight out of 10 of us have never known anything else.She is, by just about every measure I can think of, an extraordinary woman.

So, in this Platinum Jubilee year as we prepare to celebrate the Queens 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – I have an idea:Whatever psychodrama's take place with other members of the Royal Family this year, whichever narcissistic Royals try to take the spotlight, whichever graceless Dukes and Duchesses decide to publicly embarrass themselves, let's not let it overcloud what should be a year of celebration and appreciation for Her Majesty.

We're incredibly lucky to have her. Sadly, the laws of nature means it's a privilege that we can't enjoy forever.

But whilst we can. Let's very much enjoy it. Lets make this a year of celebrating the Queen, what she’s done for her country, what she means to the nation and the Commonwealth.

After the 2 years we've had, we deserve it. And most importantly, she deserves it.