Revealed: Queen's dismay at Blair legacy

By Andrew Alderson, Chief Reporter
Daily Telegraph
Last Updated: 1:24am BST 28/05/2007

The Queen has been left "exasperated and frustrated" at the legacy of Tony Blair's 10 years in power, friends have disclosed.

She has been "deeply concerned" by many of New Labour's policies, in particular what she sees as the Prime Minister's lack of understanding of countryside issues, her closest confidants reported.

Royal sources said that the Queen also believes privately that Mr Blair and his Government have meddled unnecessarily in Britain's heritage, including the reform of the House of Lords.

Her other worries are said to relate to concerns from military leaders that the Armed Forces have become "overstretched" by foreign commitments, notably in Iraq and Afghanistan. She suspects that Mr Blair has spent too much time cosying up to America - at the expense of dealing with her beloved Commonwealth.

The Queen, 81, who has ruled for 55 years and worked with 10 prime ministers, is the head of state, head of the Commonwealth and head of the Armed Forces

Friends of the monarch suspect that Mr Blair may not follow the gesture made by some of his predecessors, notably Winston Churchill and Harold Wilson, and host a dinner in the Queen's honour when relinquishing the office of prime minister.

There is, as yet, no date for such an event and both Mr Blair and the Queen have busy diaries in the run-up to his stepping down on June 27.