Congratulations to Polly Toynbee for pointing out that the monarchy embodies a sovereignty that can be and is abused by prime ministers against parliament, that legitimates a feudal system of inherited wealth and privilege, and that promotes a fantasy of national grandeur which had the British people “bravely Brexiteering away from our continent” (For something so hollow, the royal family is astonishingly expensive, 5 April).
There is a further dimension to add: the monarchy headed the British empire and continues to defend colonialist hierarchies abroad and at home. It is no accident that a woman was arrested at a ceremony proclaiming the accession of Charles III for holding up a placard reading “Fuck imperialism, abolish monarchy” (Report, 11 September) and that the non-white Duchess of Sussex is constantly vilified by the rightwing British press.
Robert Gildea
Professor emeritus of modern history, University of Oxford
• Polly Toynbee’s article was timely. One has to be impressed by the smooth way in which the monarchy is transferring from Elizabeth to Charles as if that should be the perfectly natural order of things. It appears to be the only thing that is functioning in the country today, which speaks volumes. In fact, it is a shabby anachronism that merely emphasises how the distortion of privilege prevents Britain from advancing into the modern world.
The monarchy has become a cosy cottage industry for its members and hangers-on. When it is no longer convenient to the government of the day it will be gone, along with the unelected upper chamber.
David Diprose
Thame, Oxfordshire
• Last week, I read a post on a neighbourhood website that asked me to “Celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. Plan an event to bring your community together!” Two days later, I read another: “Join a local volunteering activity! The Big Help Out: On Monday 8th May there will be thousands of volunteering opportunities up and down the country to spark a new wave of local volunteering!”
Then I turned to my Guardian and read: “Revealed: royals took more than £1bn income from controversial estates (5 April). Then I read: “More than 1m children growing up in poverty under two-child benefits limit” (5 April). Both pieces are informing my reply to the neighbourhood website posts.
David Murray
Wallington, London
• Your excellent report on royal funding perhaps downplayed two points. First, the historical records suggest there is little ambiguity about the status of the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall. They come from the same crown lands as those managed by the crown estate and are indisputably state assets. Second, the full cost of the monarchy to the public is in excess of £345m a year, as illustrated in Republic’s Royal Finance report. What your report really shows is that the monarchy is a corrupt institution. It’s time it went.
Graham Smith
CEO, Republic; Author, Abolish the Monarchy
• Your report (Windsors v Borbones: comparing the public pay of European royal families, 5 April) ignores the vastly different populations of the countries concerned. When converted to a per-capita cost, our royal family is much less expensive. For example, Luxembourg’s monarchy supported by its 625,978 population (2020) costs each of its citizens £27 a year. Second comes Norway at £4.43, third the Netherlands at £2.58, fourth Denmark at £2.42, then the UK at £1.80, Sweden at £1.14, Belgium at £1.08 and Spain at £0.16. Are you really suggesting that the monarchy is worth less to the country than a cup of takeaway coffee each a year?
Dr Laurence Cox
London
