The continuation of the monarchy is the least unpleasant option

I have some sympathy with those demonstrating against the institution of monarchy, though I think their protests just now are somewhat tasteless and more likely to provoke opposition than garner support.

There’s an injustice in inheritance, whether it be of wealth or power. A society that condones hereditary privilege is at risk of tolerating hereditary deprivation. But in the case of royalty, there’s also an injustice to the recipient – they might not have chosen that life.

But what is the alternative? A major disadvantage of having an elected politician as president is that the incumbent could be a self-obsessed power seeker. (Recent international examples are available!) Ideally, I would like to see someone of the stature of, say, David Attenborough or Mary Beard doing the job for a period of five or 10 years.

The difficulty lies in finding a way to appoint them that would be seen to be democratic. So in the meantime, I have to reluctantly concede that continuation of the monarchy may be our least bad option. Long live the King!

Susan Alexander

South Gloucestershire

I’m neither an ardent royalist nor desperate for our country to become a republic. Just an ordinary Brit who wholeheartedly agrees with Nadeine Asbali’s article.

I look forward to normal life returning very soon.

Joan Cooper

Abingdon

A hearty well done to James Moore for his piece on the absurdity of the mass grief hysteria gripping the country. I had thought we were alone in refusing to take part in this well-choreographed, and seemingly compulsory, national grief event.

I expect next week to see John Rentoul’s list of the top 10 most idiotic ways of respecting the Queen, starting with Morrison’s decision to tone down the volume of checkout pings. Followed by a commercial radio station’s ban on playing any song by Queen.

G Forward

Stirling

In the coming week, the chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, will present a mini-Budget that the government is calling a “fiscal event”. This put me in mind of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which President Putin insists is called a “special military operation”, not an invasion or war.

More worryingly, as supposedly it’s not a mini-Budget, it will not be examined by the Office for Budget Responsibility. Meanwhile, the moratorium on fracking is being lifted and objections from communities affected by it will be overruled. This looks very much to me like government by diktat, evading scrutiny, checks and balances and being held to account.

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We live in desperately worrying times, with democracy in danger.

Philip Nalpanis

St Albans

Ed Dorrell and Judith Daniel write of our country being on the brink. I’d agree – but on the brink of what?

The most important thing I’ve learnt from history is that nothing – nothing – is forever. Boris Johnson’s gone. Trump’s gone. Something we can’t imagine will turn up next.

Mark Ogilvie

Horncastle