While we were there, the BBC featured a series of interesting programs on aging and retirement. They sent TV personalities in their 70s to work in physically demanding jobs, discussed the costs of nursing homes vs private care, and debated benefits available to older folks.

For me, one of the more interesting programs included a discussion on whether some benefits should be means tested. Among the most hotly debated were the winter fuel allowance and free bus passes. Currently, even though transport costs have risen dramatically, older people can travel free on buses during off-peak hours. Winter fuel benefits--dependent on temperature-- are almost universally available to those over 80 living in private accommodations. Neither of these are means tested--so I imagine the queen would qualify for winter fuel benefits. Here's information on it:
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/documents/en-gb/factsheets/fs1_help_with_heating_costs_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true

Much of the debate centered on what you'd expect--the costs of means testing, whether people "deserved" it or not, and what seems to be a major issue looming everywhere--the generational tensions.

Controversial too were debates about whether people should have to sell their homes to pay their nursing home bills.

All of these are issues in the US too, but we mostly don't talk about them in public forums. AARP groups do, but it's not often it makes prime time TV.