Queen Takes Lead in Royal Belt-Tightening

The British, from PM Gordon Brown on down, are turning to the queen for leadership during tough economic times, the Telegraph reports. The monarch has been curbing indulgences and meeting with Britons feeling the impact of the slowdown. Princes Harry and William are falling in line, beefing up their public military schedules and scaling back social activities.

"The Queen, as head of state and head of the nation, and members of the Royal Family are sensitive to and aware of the mood of the nation and always try to reflect that in the work that they do," a rep said. As a result, the queen has been recycling outfits and reusing old fabric for official gowns, earning her approach the label “credit crunch couture.” (More Queen Elizabeth II stories.)