YORK saw the Queen last week and as usual she attracted thousands of spectators from all age groups.

How strange, only three years ago she was regarded as a hard woman. When Diana, Princess Of Wales was killed, society saw her as being cold and ineffectual, because she did not react in the way the public expected.

Not only was she following the traditions of royalty for centuries past, but she was mourning in her own private manner, keeping her grief within the family unit.

Fortunately, with the Queen's tactfulness, disagreements between country and their 'Ma'am', were soon over.

The Queen, like all other royals goes in and out of fashion, and she is now 'top lady' as she should be. In one sense we admire British tradition and the Royal Family and then we want to remove or modify it to the ways of the year 2000.

Why does society want to change royal traditions when those are the ones which make them royal?

I was pleased to see youngsters in the crowds, our future generation, who will preserve our one and only family, as distinctly British as the Union Flag.

Only the lady who now sits on the throne could be titled Queen and perform such a profession with perfection.

B A Gardein,

Third Avenue,

Heworth, York.

...I TAKE issue with the three councillors Blakeborough, Blitz and Brighton in their stance concerning the Queen Mother.

They should have stressed it was their own opinion, not that they were representing their electors.

To them and your two correspondents in the Press (July 29) I merely ask: "What would you have in place of the royal family?"

A president as in the USA such as Clinton or Tricky Dicky Nixon?

Or as in Italy, France, Germany, India, Pakistan or any of the African states? Some of their presidents are as bent as a nine shilling note. What about a dictatorship then, as in Russia or China? I have spoken with many French people and without exception they envy our royalty.

To Frank Ormston after his sarcastic reference to a visiting billionaire (do I detect a note of envy?) I would say: "If your forebears had amassed a fortune and status by any means - devious or otherwise - would you forgo your inheritance?'

We got rid of our royal family 350 years ago but were glad to welcome it back within 20 years.

No one is perfect; nor is the royal family, but I would argue that it is as good as, or better than, any alternative.

A G Reeson,

Huntington Road,

York.

...CAN anyone answer three questions which have me baffled.

Firstly, how come City of York Council can get the city so spotless on the day of a royal visit with not a sign of overfilled litter bins falling on to the street and no rubbish on the pavement, yet the rest of the year it covers our shoes as we walk?

Secondly, how come on the day of the royal visit there wasn't one tramp or beggar to be found on the street? Were they all locked up so the Queen didn't get embarrassed?

And finally, when you want a police person any other day of the year it's hard to find just one yet for the royal visit police were falling over each other everywhere you looked. If these things are all possible when royals visit why isn't it kept up all the time? After all we pay our taxes each pay day, not just when royalty pays a visit.

Mrs Dawn Moore,

Amberley Street,

Poppleton Road,

York.