"They meet every six months, and she, at the age of 70, looks into the future and understands that the Royal Family has to change taking into account the changing times".

Buckingham Palace has not revealed all the details about the committee's discussions, but it is clear that the Queen is considering changing some of the Monarchy's more ancient rules.

One proposal is to end the law, which foresees that the title of Monarch passes to sons rather than daughters. The present Queen only inherited the title because there were no male heirs.

The ban on heirs to the throne marring Roman Catholics has also come under scrutiny. Under the present law, which is 295 years old, a Royal cannot be crowned if he or she is married to a Catholic.

But big changes are not expected soon. It is clear that these meetings are part of an evolutionary, not revolutionary process of change and reform. The British Monarchy has, throughout history, been very good at adapting to circumstances. It has survived wars, political and social changes, and ups and downs in its popularity.