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| Appearances are deceptive - the changing face of the monarchy | Appearances are deceptive - the changing face of the monarchy |
| (2 months later) | |
| The observation that "monarchy has a logic-defying resilience" (Editorial, 23 July) should not dismay republicans. Key trends have, for some time, been transforming the way in which the monarchy is perceived. Deference has markedly decreased since the last coronation, continues to do so and is being steadily replaced by the tyranny of celebrity, which forces the younger members of the royal family to the fore and lays down its own rules for their behaviour. | The observation that "monarchy has a logic-defying resilience" (Editorial, 23 July) should not dismay republicans. Key trends have, for some time, been transforming the way in which the monarchy is perceived. Deference has markedly decreased since the last coronation, continues to do so and is being steadily replaced by the tyranny of celebrity, which forces the younger members of the royal family to the fore and lays down its own rules for their behaviour. |
| Effortless superiority is no longer a useful qualification. Then there is a growing demand from the political elite for financial accountability and, consequently, an increasing interest in royal financial affairs to a level not known since the days before the civil war. Finally, voices have been raised even about the private communications between the Prince of Wales and government ministers. The management of the Firm has never been trickier. These closely related trends are driven by forces beyond republican protagonists. All they need to do is to stay in step; the country is moving in the right direction for them. Russell Woodrow London | Effortless superiority is no longer a useful qualification. Then there is a growing demand from the political elite for financial accountability and, consequently, an increasing interest in royal financial affairs to a level not known since the days before the civil war. Finally, voices have been raised even about the private communications between the Prince of Wales and government ministers. The management of the Firm has never been trickier. These closely related trends are driven by forces beyond republican protagonists. All they need to do is to stay in step; the country is moving in the right direction for them. Russell Woodrow London |
| • Your headline "A baby, a boy, a prince, a king" (23 July) made me think, how sad: a child born with no hope for the future; isolated, a part of an obsolete and arcane sect, kept separate from all aspects of normal society and used as a poster child. To be successful as a doctor, or a lawyer or a scientist, a writer or an artist, or a businessman, banker or even politician is denied to this child, for the sake of what? To be a figurehead. | • Your headline "A baby, a boy, a prince, a king" (23 July) made me think, how sad: a child born with no hope for the future; isolated, a part of an obsolete and arcane sect, kept separate from all aspects of normal society and used as a poster child. To be successful as a doctor, or a lawyer or a scientist, a writer or an artist, or a businessman, banker or even politician is denied to this child, for the sake of what? To be a figurehead. |
| We should allow adults who have decided they want to fill this position to put themselves forward and be voted upon. We should not allow a child's potential to be so ruined by this medieval ritual. Neil Burgess London | We should allow adults who have decided they want to fill this position to put themselves forward and be voted upon. We should not allow a child's potential to be so ruined by this medieval ritual. Neil Burgess London |
| • Without getting into a republican argument, the photo shoot mattered. Kate showed up for it visibly emotional – her hormones all over the place – and with large remains of her baby bump still showing. Furthermore she was just not bothered about it and so, in fact, looked lovelier. Since she has to be one of the most photographed and intruded-on women in the world, it is great she is using her role-model position to counter the idea that women's bodies can only be seen when they are harnessed and honed to some thin extreme. Olivia Byard Witney, Oxfordshire | • Without getting into a republican argument, the photo shoot mattered. Kate showed up for it visibly emotional – her hormones all over the place – and with large remains of her baby bump still showing. Furthermore she was just not bothered about it and so, in fact, looked lovelier. Since she has to be one of the most photographed and intruded-on women in the world, it is great she is using her role-model position to counter the idea that women's bodies can only be seen when they are harnessed and honed to some thin extreme. Olivia Byard Witney, Oxfordshire |
| • Thanks so much for the information on the dress Kate Middleton wore on the steps of a hospital in your front page article and for repeating it on page 2 in even fuller detail (additionally providing crucial guidance as to what currently constitutes "glamour – hair"), in case we had missed it (24 July). It sat really well with your editorial about the way women broadcasters and journalists are expected to represent a particular "version of femininity", I thought, and even more so with the Society section's article about the oppression preventing girls' education. Feminists and republicans can only breathe a sigh of appreciation for Seumas Milne (Cut this anti-democratic dynasty out of our politics). Frankie Green Whitstable, Kent | • Thanks so much for the information on the dress Kate Middleton wore on the steps of a hospital in your front page article and for repeating it on page 2 in even fuller detail (additionally providing crucial guidance as to what currently constitutes "glamour – hair"), in case we had missed it (24 July). It sat really well with your editorial about the way women broadcasters and journalists are expected to represent a particular "version of femininity", I thought, and even more so with the Society section's article about the oppression preventing girls' education. Feminists and republicans can only breathe a sigh of appreciation for Seumas Milne (Cut this anti-democratic dynasty out of our politics). Frankie Green Whitstable, Kent |
| • The conscience of the Guardian has a still small voice yet. Benedict Birnberg London | • The conscience of the Guardian has a still small voice yet. Benedict Birnberg London |
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