Many elderly people believe they are no longer taken seriously as they get older. At times it feels as if they are being treated like children. When that person is the 81 year-old Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, it’s not so easy to patronize her.

ITN is reporting today that the Queen abruptly left a photoshoot at Buckingham Palace when a commissioned photographer, American Annie Leibovitz, asked her to remove her “crown”.

This minor moment of exasperation is now a big story across the media after the BBC released the footage to advertise its autumn schedules.

In the footage, the Queen walks into a room wearing a tiara — not a crown — and the very heavy Order of the Garter robes. Leibovitz then demands, “I think it will look better without the crown because the garter robe is so dressy.”

The astonished Queen icily replied, “Less dressy, what do you think this is?”.

TV cameras apparently follow the Queen leaving the room with an official lifting the enormous train of her blue velvet cape off the floor. The Queen then tells her lady-in-waiting, “I’m not changing anything. I’ve had enough dressing like this thank you very much.”

Leibovitz is famous for taking bizarre pictures of her subjects. She once had Kate Winslet repeatedly dunked in a tank of water, and photographed Clint Eastwood after he had been tied up with ropes.

One hardly dares to imagine what Her Majesty would have replied to either of those requests.

Annie Liebovitz said “She entered the room at a surprisingly fast pace, as fast as the regalia would allow her. “She muttered, ‘Why am I wearing these heavy robes in the middle of the day?’

“She doesn’t really want to get dressed up any more. She just couldn’t be bothered and I admire her for that. When you get to that age you have a right to have those kinds of feelings.”

The Queen was quite right to refuse being “uncrowned” by a photographer, but … oops … the BBC got it totally wrong.

The shot apparently showing the Queen “storming out” was really a shot of her coming in. The storming never happened.

The BBC has since apologized to the Queen. However, the true story is how an elderly lady was treated more like a child than the Monarch she is.

In today’s cult of youth, would an 81-year old ever be voted as their country’s greatest living person, followed by a woman of 70-ish and another of 80? Not to mention a 50-ish woman voted as best in films?

Of course, the winner is a very special person.

The Queen at her Coronation in 1953

The British public has selected the Queen as “the Greatest Living Briton 2007″. The ITV show was broadcast live and viewers asked to vote for their choice. The awards ceremony was to celebrate British achievement.

The Queen finished top of a list of other famous — but perhaps less worthy — Britons, including Paul McCartney (60-ish), Julie Andrews (70-ish), Margaret Thatcher (80-ish) and pop singer Robbie Williams (just ish).

Her Majesty wasn’t present to receive her accolade, but her son Prince Edward paid tribute via a video transmission.

Coincidentally, Helen Mirren (50-ish), who claimed an Oscar earlier this year for her portrayal of the Queen in the film of the same name, took the top prize for The Greatest Briton in Film.

The Monarch, who has been on the Throne for 55 years showed a clean pair of heels to the celebrity striplings who might have thought they stood a chance. It was a very good night for golden agers.