King Charles III [Adam Schultz_The White House]

• YOUR letter writer Dee Searle calls for “a head of state who is publicly accountable and who works on behalf of the British population” (An accountable head of state, now, September 29).

It is not easy to see how someone so accountable could be other than a person nominated by a political party.

That would sweep away the benefit of having a hereditary monarchy. Perhaps that is what Ms Searle is calling for.

The problem is that the alternative head of state is highly unlikely to be anyone she would consider an acceptable alternative to the present arrangement.

It is quite possible that the electors of Britain may vote for the equivalent of Donald Trump or even Joe Biden. How would that be an improvement?

The constitutional function of the British Sovereign is to act as an obstruction to anyone who might attempt to seize the top job by unconstitutional means.

King Charles has no political power, but he prevents others from attempting the arbitrary seizure of power.

King Charles has a position as the “the national family”. We do not choose the Sovereign any more than we choose our parents.

One of the most important functions of the Sovereign is to acknowledge and reward excellence in all fields of endeavour, by bestowing titles and other awards.

A society prospers and moves forward by the attainment of the excellence of its citizens. You can have excellence or you can have equality – but you can’t have both!

The late Queen Elizabeth has set a remarkably high standard of duty and public service for the new King and his successors to emulate.

If for any reason the British people should decide to live under a Republic (may heaven forfend!), they will still demand the same high standards of their democratically elected president.

MAGNUS NIELSEN
Finchley Road, NW3