Letter: It's a royal knock-out

CONGRATULATIONS TO Will Self for his brave profile of the Queen Mother. Not everyone has the nerve to call a much-respected 99-year-old "this antediluvian chunk of avoirdupois", and to suggest without a shred of evidence that she took advantage of the black market to supplement wartime rations.

Self might have elaborated on his argument that the only timely thing George VI ever did was when he "upped and died", less of a cliche than saying he lost his fight against cancer. Some old fogies who remember how our last king modestly and effectively carried out his duties may be offended but, what the hell, it's witty and topical. What will Self have to tell us on her 100th birthday?

ALAN LAWRANCE

Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire