• WHAT fun to read Graham Smith of Republic’s September 15 Forum – some of it nonsense, (In time we’ll be rid of the monarchy).

Mr Smith states that her late majesty cowed “a lot of people into subservience”. He has to believe that sort of tosh but, in my 70 plus years on the planet, I can’t say I ever met any, even a few, people subservient to, or cowed by, the queen.

He is wrong about the speed with which the accession council met, too, for its timing was following a historical precedent, nought else.

He writes of those wrongful arrests of protesters; although I expect some were rightful arrests, as if there were huge numbers of people arrested.

My understanding is that, given the huge numbers who have been on the streets to pay respects and witness events since the death of Elizabeth II, arrests made have been very small in number.

It suits Mr Smith’s argument to make it seem that far more of those protesting were arrested but, as I acknowledge, peaceful protesters should not be arrested (especially as they were there for the majority of us to laugh at).

He states that support for abolition of the monarchy is now one in four whereas it was one in five just five years ago. Most of the politicians he would like to see at the helm in his republic would be very happy with 60 per cent of the vote (and he is using a figure that comes from an opinion poll not a vote of the electorate).

If the electorate is one day asked to vote for abolition, some might well change their mind and vote for the monarchy when they see the quality of some of the politicians likely to run for president.

Charles III is not the difficult, controversial, man Mr Smith claims and I doubt that he personally sacked those Clarence House staff. I doubt that they were summarily dismissed either, for employment law applies to all.

Seeing our new king on TV, hearing what he says and watching his actions, and reading about him in the media – let alone remembering what one knew of him as heir apparent – it is hard to imagine other than that he will be a good king.

It suits Mr Smith to make a hasty judgment but I prefer to be reasonable and see how things go in the months and years ahead.

I was proud to serve in the Royal Navy for 22 years, a service that is maintained by royal prerogative. That meant that loyalty to the crown was assumed and those in the senior service were not required to take an oath of allegiance.

I got to know some courtiers, to know some who served in HM Royal Yacht Britannia, I met senior royals and attended events where the monarch and others were present. They seemed decent and hardworking, some were brave in war, and all were doing their best for their country, for our country.

Overseas, where HM ships fulfil a diplomatic role in many port visits, I met people in awe of our system and our monarch. I was, and remain, happy to serve crown and country, no oath required.

One only needs to note the outpouring of respect and condolences from this country and around the world to see that monarchy touches others in a way no politician likely can.

In a highly competitive world, a “unique selling point” is no bad thing and the UK needs all the USPs it can muster to thrive in this fast-moving, dangerous, world.

Billions on our planet would probably rather live in a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy like ours than in most other countries (the World Population Review online indicates 15 other countries are more democratic than the UK, including New Zealand, Canada and Australia and four other European monarchies – Norway is number one).

Mr Smith is too hopeful. There are more important things to deal with than his hope of bringing down the monarchy. Long live the king.

LESTER MAY
Lieutenant Commander
Royal Navy (retired), NW1