Letter: Our hard-up royal family

THE EuroBusiness magazine estimate of the wealth of our royal family to which Joan Smith refers ("It's nature's way to talk out of turn", 6 June) was hopelessly flawed by the inclusion of the Crown Estate, all profits from which are taken by the Treasury, and the Royal Collection, which is not the Queen's personal property but held by trustees for Crown and nation. The Sunday Times list of the richest 1,000 in Britain, published every April, shows even the Queen now fallen into the 87th place. Following her lavish divorce settlement, the late Diana, Princess of Wales appeared in 916th place in 1997 with an estimated fortune of pounds 17m: but she was said to be much better off than her former husband. Prince Charles has never been shown on the Sunday Times rich list: he is entitled to revenue from the Duchy of Cornwall but cannot dispose of its assets, and never receives Civil List money.

JENNIFER MILLER

London SW15