IS SHE TIGHT ABOUT MONEY! Tightisima!
You noted the most famous anecdote about her, which was true. There are any number of anecdotes about her famed Scots attitude towards expense. I think that's one of the most salubrious things about the British aristocracy in general -- they are not spendthrifts, if they can help it. Whereas the nouveaux riches just buy a whole new bedsheet, the Queen and others have theirs darned so it lasts another 50 to 100 years. If they can use a bit of glue on broken priceless Sèvres or Wedgewood, they do.
That attitude, whilst not shared by her countrymen all the time, is seen as unequalled about their class. In fact, the bad opinion of Americans held by Brits is about that tendency that Americans have of being a throw-away society. It comes from this aristocratic ideal of being thrifty and preserving what you can, so as not be flashy or lacking in heritage.
Prince Charles is just as mean as his mother. His only notable personal extravagance the whole of his life has been a U$40,000 sound system for Highgrove. Because you know, you can't listen to operas using a boom box.
