Queen Elizabeth II declines 'Oldie of the Year Award', claims she does not meet criteria

95-year-old, Queen Elizabeth II has refused to accept the Oldie of the Year award, claiming that she does not fulfil the criteria. According to a statement released by her office, people are as old as they feel. The title is awarded annually to honour people of previous generations who have made significant contributions to public life in the UK.

Her assistant private secretary, Tom Laing-Baker, wrote in a letter shared by the Oldie magazine that her Majesty believes that people are as old as they feel, and the Queen does not believe she meets the relevant criteria to be able to accept and hopes they will find a more worthy recipient.

Prince Philip received the Consort of the Year award in 2012

In 2012, the awards honoured Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's husband, Consort of the Year. According to the Evening Standard newspaper, Philip said that there is nothing like it for morale to be reminded that the years are passing ever faster and that bits are beginning to fall from the antique frame. He died at the age of 99, earlier this year in April.

According to its website, The Oldie is a monthly British magazine geared at the elderly that serves as a light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and fame. David Hockney, Eileen Atkins, Stanley Baxter, Peter Blake, Glenda Jackson and Moira Stuart have all received the Oldie of the Year award in the past. Despite the Queen's refusal to accept the award, the ceremony went forward on Tuesday. According to People, Oldie Champion Knitter of the Year and Truly Scrumptious Oldie of the Year were among the awards given out by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who said that the awards recognise the achievements of a range of remarkable older people who have made a special contribution to the world.

Leslie Caron received the Oldie of the Year award after the Queen declined it

After the Queen declined the award, the Oldie of the Year award went to Leslie Caron, a French-American performer and dancer who is five years younger than the Queen at 90. 92-year-old, Margaret Seaman received the Oldie Champion Knitter award, while 79-year-old Sir Geoff Hurst earned the Oldie Golden Boot of the Year, English cook, Delia Smith, who is 80 received the Truly Scrumptious Oldie award, according to the Guardian.

Image: AP