Letter: Monarchies far from outmoded

Sir: I have enormous respect for Professor Haseler's intellect and experience, and I am glad that he agrees with me (letter, 12 September) that issues such as 'value for money' and the taxation question are as nothing beside the queston of how our nation's freedoms can best be guaranteed.

But I do wish that republicans would stop telling us the date. Republicanism is not new, and monarchy is not outmoded, as any Spaniard will tell you. I might add that the impulse towards monarchy in Eastern Europe and the Balkans is extremely strong. This is because European monarchies, past and present, have never inflicted the misery which, even within the past 10 years, has been inflicted by many of Europe's republican institutions.

The performance of republicanism over the past two centuries has been poor beside that of the monarchies, and had defeat in war not put an end to so many monarchies in 1917-18, the world would have been a safer place.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

HENRY von BLUMENTHAL

Treasurer

The Monarchist League

London, WC1