Prime Minister Paul Keating of Australia, who visited Balmoral Castle last year to meet with the Queen, wants Australia to become a republic by the 2000, although his country is divided on the issue.

Some say anti-monarchy sentiment is growing in Britain, and there is lusty debate in the pubs, press and palaces of the realm about the Royal Family's future.

But after 41 years on the throne, this tiny, gray-haired grandmother still draws admiring crowds wherever she goes. Polls indicate her loyal subjects in Britain still view their Queen as a hard worker and a good ambassador.

For some, it's just a habit. They like the 67-year-old monarch because she's been around as long as they can remember.

Others say she's a good tourist draw, representing 1,100 years of Royal pomp and ceremony.

Still others say they feel safer knowing she's on the throne, a permanent font of experienced, non-partisan advice to prime ministers who come and go, and keeper of all the residual powers of government.

"Look at what's happening in Yugoslavia. They don't have a queen. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad if they did,'' said nine-year-old Sally Wintrip.

Sally and her parents were among the crowds lining the public piers at Southampton hoping to catch a glimpse of the Queen as she set sail on the royal yacht Britannia on her annual holiday in Scotland.

They were disappointed, but members of the British Sailors Society, an ecumenical charity helping merchant sailors, were not.

To mark their 175th anniversary, they were invited to make up the formal send-off party for the Queen, and many were able to meet and talk to her.

"I'm not particularly a Royalist, yet I've got to admit I felt a lump in my throat,'' said David Hughdie, who manages seafarers centres for the charity.

"Most British people are very proud of the way we do the Royal occasions, things like Trooping the Colour (the parade marking the Queen's birthday), the opening of Parliament. We laugh at it, but secretly we're very proud about it.

No Americans could do it. She seems to be the embodiment of it,'' he said.

The Rev. James MacDonald, the society's prime chaplain, said he admired the way the Queen's behaviour had always been above reproach -- unlike, say, her daughter-in-law, the Duckess of York -- better known as "Fergie'' -- who was photographed topless cuddling her "financial adviser,'' or her son, Prince Charles, taped speaking fondly and earthily to a married woman friend.

John Moffat, a retired captain who organised the Queen's farewell, said he had met both the Queen and Prime Minister John Major in May at the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic.

"The prime minister didn't make any impression at all, but when the Queen came down the line to shake hands with us -- tremendous!'' Moffat said.

But the pollsters say problems could lie ahead.

While polls consistently paint the Queen as hardworking and personally popular, they show declining respect for the institution of monarchy and growing feeling that it won't survive beyond the middle of the next century, said Brian Gosschalk of MORI (Market Opinion and Research International).

Only 36 percent of people surveyed thought Britain would still have a monarchy in 50 years, down from 69 percent only three years ago, Gosschalk said. -- AP TOUR HIGHLIGHT -- The Queen knights Caymanian Sir Vassel Johnson, a former financial secretary, during the Royal couple's visit to the Cayman Islands on February 26.

WARM WELCOME -- Hundreds of children greeted the Queen during her recent visit to the Cayman Islands.

ROYAL WELCOME -- Excited children from Woodlands School in Pembroke prepare for today's Royal visit. All schoolchildren on the Island have been given Union Jacks by the Education Department and Information Services. They will all get an opportunity to see the Queen and Prince Philip over the next two days.