Letter: Pomp and Ceremony

Sir: The answer to Anne McElvoy's question "If we're all to be commoners, why keep the pomp and ceremony?" (Review, 25 November) is that they are fun and cheer people up, even old republicans like me. If she had seen the helmets and breastplates of the Blues and Royals glistening in the sunshine as they emerged from Horse Guards and left-wheeled on their beautiful black mounts into the Mall, and heard the delighted comments of the crowd as the Queen passed, she'd see what I mean.

EDWARD MACE

London N5