AS expected, Harry and Meghan have opted to continue enjoying their current luxurious celebrity lifestyle in California, funded by cashing in on the novelty interest there in them and their royal status, rather than carrying out the irksome duties of senior royals here ("Harry and Meghan stripped of patronages after finalising split", The Herald February 20). Who can blame them? That is their choice and good luck to them, but of course their decision will have consequences, such as the fact that they can’t have their cake and eat it as they expected they could. Time will tell how well they, and Harry in particular, will cope as with familiarity the interest from the media in them and their celebrity status wanes.
One aspect of their chosen situation which should be resolved is Harry’s standing in the line of succession. However unlikely, he could succeed to the crown. He has demonstrated that he is unfit to fill that role as it would require him and his family to relocate to the UK to do precisely that which they have just made clear they are not prepared to do. Therefore the honourable thing for him right now would be to confirm the reality of his new situation by renouncing any claim to succession. Apart from anything else, by doing that he might earn back some of the respect he has lost by the disrespectful, even wounding, response to his grandmother to the inevitable loss of his royal patronage roles.
Alan Fitzpatrick, Dunlop.
* I AM given to understand that Harry and Megan are no longer to be considered working royals. Working royals? If the word oxymoron did not exist....
John Boyle, Ardrossan.
ROYALS ARE FAR FROM IRREPLACEABLE
MOST interesting that Doug Marr ("There’s no need for a right royal row … but the time has come for change", The Herald, February 22) cites former Irish President Mary Robinson as the kind of person to replace the Queen when we dispense with the monarchy.
Many years ago at a genealogical conference in Dublin, Ms Robinson hosted a dinner for delegates from all over the world, chatting easily before the meal to Americans, Scots, New Zealanders, English visitors and many others from the Irish diaspora without that patronising “And have you come far?” in a priggish schoolgirl voice.
The President seemed genuinely interested in the many and varied folk she met. Towards the end of the evening, on my way to the loo I passed two burly men sipping tea in a small kitchen off the corridor. Now on a Friday night in Dublin, if you spot two men with tea cups it means one of two things. Either they are recovering alcoholics or security men.
“You with Mary Robinson ...what's she like to work for?” I asked. “An absolute star… she’s just popped her head round the door to tell us she won’t be long now, and hopes to get us home to our families as soon as she can ... always thinking of others.”
The royal family, irreplaceable? I don’t think so.
Sheila Duffy, Glasgow
A NEW ANTHEM FOR SCOTLAND?
I HAVE come to the conclusion that the First Minister is so transparent that if I were to hold her up to the light I would be able to see through her. On Saturday morning the lead news story was the relaxation of care home visiting in England, allowing one designated visitor. A report on BBC News stated that, in Scotland, visiting was only allowed in exceptional circumstances. By lunchtime the Scottish Government had announced that in Scotland two visitors would be allowed in care homes.
Perhaps we should change our national anthem from Flower of Scotland to Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better. Who would guess there is an election looming?
Paul Teenan, Glasgow.
FAR-SIGHTED STUDIES
FOLLOWING on from David Miller’s letter (February 20), we always know that Steven Camley’s cartoon will have picked up on some significant Herald item from the same day’s paper. Only today (February 20) the cartoon informs us that Nasa’s Perseverance rover has travelled 140 million miles to reach its destination on planet Mars. The Babylonian astronomers must have had amazing eyesight, having identified the five inner/outer planets during the Second Millennium BC.
Duncan Miller, Lenzie.
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT?
SOMETIMES The Herald raises an unintended smile as it did when reporting on A G Barr's announcement ("Irn-Bru in recycled plastic move", February 20) that in future all package wrap will be of recycled material. However, one section in the announcement that ''By the end of the year all soft drinks produced by the company will be 100% recycled'', is a little worrying. Quite how this is to be achieved is not described.
JA Smith, Dunblane.
THE BALD TRUTH
THERE was mention in the Letters Pages last week of some of Boris Johnson's vanity projects, but what about his longest-running one: his hair? I am wondering when after all these years of trying artfully or otherwise to cover up a receding covering is he going to admit defeat? His pal Donald Trump has managed with goodness knows how much lacquer to continue to look silly for a number of years. Will Mr Johnson try to last as long? Combing and brushing will not work forever.
I admit to being a slaphead and would advise him that the benefits of easy maintenance outweigh anything else.
Rab Neilson, Ayr.
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