CAROL COSTELLO: Today, if you didn't know it, is the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's reign over Britain. Her ascension to the thrown came after the death of her father, King George VI. So we want to go live to London now to see how the queen is marking this milestone. CNN's Diana Muriel is outside Buckingham palace. Good morning, Diana.</s>DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Yes, I'm standing outside Buckingham Palace where, in fact, the queen is not. Although behind me the crowd has gathered to watch the changing of the guard -- the</s>COSTELLO: We understand, Diana, that many people there in Britain aren't very excited about this jubilee. Is that true?</s>MURIEL: That's right. It's a very different tone, really, to the silver jubilee celebrations of 1977. There had been a series of polls in newspapers in recent days looking at the popularity of the queen. And "The Daily Telegraph," which is seen as a very conservative newspaper here, found that although 77 percent of people are in favor of the monarchy, would like to see it continue, only 46 percent actually believe that there will be a monarchy at the end of the 21st century. There are issues, also, to do with Prince Charles and his long- time friend and lover Camilla Parker Bowles. And although most people here believe that the two should marry, there is more reluctance as to whether or not she should, in fact, become queen. Only 16 percent of those polled believe that she should. And more than half believe that she, in fact, should not be given any title whatsoever. So in the past 50 years, the queen has reigned over a country that has seen less deference, perhaps, being paid to the royal family. And, certainly, the behavior of some of the royal members of the family have -- has led to that, particularly in the 1990's, Carol.</s>COSTELLO: That's for sure. Thank you, Diana Muriel, reporting live for us from London. We sure enjoy following those foibles of the royals, though, don't we?
Today Is 50th Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Reign