Letter: Time to think again about the monarchy

Sir: We demand the impossible from the human individuals who constitute our Royal Family. We ask them to be simultaneously paragons of behaviour, taste, morals and style, and to be one of ourselves, the people. Try as hard as they may, they cannot win.

I am glad I did not have the misfortune to be born into British royalty. I value my freedom too much. I can choose to pursue a career as a night- club bouncer, a university professor, a comedian, an engineer or a priest. All that stands in my way is lack of will or ability. I can choose my religion. I can cycle solo from Land's End to John O'Groats, stay in youth hostels, or camp and back-pack. I can choose my friends and compete in the world fairly.

They cannot; even unfair advantage is a lack of freedom. If such restrictions were placed on any other group chosen by an accident of birth, there would be an outcry.

Let us give them sympathy and a break. Let us allow them to grieve in private, to make mistakes without being pilloried, to follow their own tastes, beliefs and inclinations, to bring up their children without repression. Above all, let us release them from their institutional prison by moving this country towards republicanism.

BRIAN DENVIR

London N21