The flurry of attention being paid to the Queen's 80th birthday says a lot about how much she still means to the people of Britain and the Commonwealth in general. Perhaps it's also because her 80th is a watershed, in more ways than one.

All of those troubling times with errant sons and difficult moments with daughters-in-law look to be behind her. Diana is still mourned by millions and her impact on the Royal Family is immeasurable.

Certainly, she brought the institution to the brink of its greatest crisis in decades by sowing the seeds of doubt that the heir to the throne was not fit to succeed his mother.

These days, it has to bring some satisfaction to the Queen and Prince Philip that Charles seems settled and is proving himself to be steadier in getting on with his role of monarch-in-waiting in a more professional manner.

The prince's marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles is attracting much less attention than the tumultuous match with Diana and, for that, everyone who cares about the current state of the royalty can be thankful.

The Queen's other children from Andrew and Edward to Anne have also returned to quieter times; their escapades are no longer daily grist for the tabloids.

Her grandsons, William and Harry, are getting on with their lives. Harry is no longer the Royals "wild child." In fact, he looked quite smart and grown-up during his graduation ceremonies at Sandhurst military academy and the Queen was obviously pleased and proud when she paused and smiled warmly while moving past him during her inspection of the guard of honour.

Yes, the Queen can perhaps finally look forward to a more serene future, not clouded by anything like the "annus horribilis" of 1992 that saw several eruptions in the personal lives of her children and a devastating fire at her favourite Windsor Castle.

For Britons, the new calm has only helped boost the popularity of the Queen at home. Long standing republicans in the United Kingdom may raise their voices against the system but never against Queen Elizabeth who is considered to be doing a superb job and is truly above the fray.

In this country, Canadians spend little, if any, time talking about the future of the monarchy. Indeed, the Queen's popularity remains high and she still evokes much love and respect. That said, there were doubts expressed over the past few years about the suitability of Charles to take over once the Queen passes.

Certainly, there are those in politics and the general public who would want to scrap the monarchy for Canada after Queen Elizabeth. But what would we replace it with? It's the eternal question on this subject and when Australians grappled with it in a referendum a few years ago they ended up voting to keep the Queen as head of state.

This year, as we celebrate the Queen's eightieth, those conversations are for the future. Her Majesty looks more entrenched and secure than ever and, barring misfortune or her own change of mind, will be around for many years to come.