THE mutterings and rumblings started very quickly after the first aftershock of the Queen Mother's death had subsided writes Features Editor Angela Kelly

"Why so much fuss about the death of a 101- year-old member of the aristocracy who had led a largely sheltered life?"

As an ill-judged question from the BBC set the undertone about individuals outliving usefulness, there has been a separate national feeling to rival the genuine mourning.

There is no doubt that an amount of anti-royalism has publicly surfaced in the last few months.

The death of Princess Margaret and now the Queen Mother has somehow allowed all those who whinge about not needing a royal family to voice their opinions again.

Fortunately -- and this is a personal opinion -- it is pleasing to hear the pro-monarchy lobby shouting louder. Tut-tutting, even, at the timing of such unpatriotic words.

In 2002, I would venture to say that we need the monarchy more than ever.

Yes, individually they may make social and very public gaffes. They may lead the kind of trivial, privileged lives that are often out of step with the much tougher existence of most people of the UK today.

And, yes, they do incur an expense that could be better used in our hospitals and schools.

But, for towns like Bolton and Bury, for cities like Manchester and sleepy hamlets like Entwistle, the monarchy is as relevant and important now as it has ever been.

It underpins the values of a world where drugs kill our children, and 10 year-olds have drink problems.

It sounds trite to say that it is the envy of the world. But, ask any visiting American what he or she thinks of our royal family and you will inevitably be faced with admiring superlatives.

To them, our monarchy is as English as Anne Hathaway's cottage, as traditional as the Beefeaters, and as relevant as the House of Commons.

They do not see royals behaving badly or the costs of a hefty Civil List. They see history and tradition come alive in the Queen and her extended family.

They also see the kind of stoic continuity that is at its very best in times of crisis. And since September 11, they know all about terrible trauma on home turf, and they understand the importance of central figures crystallising bravery and fortitude.

The Queen Mother was brilliant at this. In dainty shoes and wearing stunning outfits, she picked her way among the rubble of bomb-damaged Britain to lift the hearts of the wartime population.

Her daughter Elizabeth followed in this fine tradition, as did the rest of the royal family.

Sombre pictures of them at any major tragedy in this country -- and elsewhere -- since the war somehow demonstrated a determination that life still went on.

That the monarchy would remain in the palace and all was still well with the world.

No counter revolutionary plot, no Government vote, no civil uprising would change the fact that the royal hand was still on the tiller.

It did not even matter that their influence on major, day to day decisions about running the country was now minor. The figurehead was leading the ship proudly forward.

If all that sounds jingoistic and naive, apologies.

But anti-royal feelings that have, once more, found a platform are bound to prompt an opposite reaction from people like me. Perhaps people who cherished their garish Coronation mug as a youngster, and were riveted to the black and white images of a young Queen being crowned.

Today's children do not need the royal family as icons -- they have plenty of others like footballers and pop stars to idolise.

But in multicultural Britain, preserving this very English tradition is vital.

Next Tuesday, I hope that the nation's schoolchildren will really be interested to see the TV pictures of the Queen Mother's funeral, to witness a nation mourning the passing of a great lady.

For if there is one legacy she would most like to have seen, it is probably a continuation and respect for the monarchy in future generations.

She knew, just like thousands of ordinary people have recognised over the decades, that it is our royal family that has helped to put the Great into Great Britain.

It is old-fashioned and probably wildly out of step in 2002 to state this but God Save The Queen.