Letter: Royal power

Sir: Doesn't D G Swindells (letter, 4 February) know that "a crowned republic" is an oxymoron? With her red boxes, her prime ministerial audiences, her "advising and warning", her Privy Council meetings, her choosing of Prime Minister after an indecisive election, the Queen is knee-deep in politics and power-broking. She is also above the law - as shown by the Burrell case - "the King (and Queen) can do no wrong". British monarchs are absolutely unaccountable to the British public: we remain subjects, and have no power to replace our head of state.

CYRIL MEADOWS

London N8