Letter: Steps towards an Australian monarchy

Sir: So now even John Fahey, the Liberal Premier of New South Wales, supports Paul Keating, the Labor Prime Minister, in believing that 'it is inevitable that Australia will become a republic' (30 March).

While it is wholly understandable that many Australians today may wish to cut the umbilical cord tying them to the motherland, it does not follow that Australia must therefore become a republic. After all, Australia could have its own Australian monarch. Although monarchies may not be fashionable nowadays, a modern constitutional monarch such as in the UK, Scandinavia or, since 1945, in Japan, has the great advantage over a president in that the monarch is not selected by party faction.

In this way the head of state and guardian of the constitution represents the entire nation and is seen to be totally above politics. Even this is not entirely true in those republics such as Ireland, Germany or Switzerland that have non-executive heads of state. As for the US, where the president is also the chief executive, it can lead to the kind of bizarre constitutional crisis that took place over the impeachment of Richard Nixon.

Perhaps Prince Edward, or in time one of the younger princes, could be encouraged to marry an Australian girl so that in due course a Prince of New South Wales will be born who cannot speak a word of English. In this way a new dynasty could be created that will be for ever Australian.

Yours sincerely,

BRIAN PARKYN

Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

30 March

The writer was MP for Bedford (1966-70).