MILITARY service seems to have affected Robert Waite's sense of reality.

I mean, who hasn't heard of the royal family's private problems and marital breakdowns etc ('Long live our own first lady', July 14)?

It is surely common knowledge that the monarchy is in a mess and has been now for 100 years -ever since the days of Queen Victoria, whose unpopularity led to the foundation of more than 70 republican groups.

The monarchy has not been able to maintain its mystique. Which, of course, isn't surprising in the slightest.

As the symbol of Christianity, of the family and morality, the House of Windsor has been shown to be woefully lacking. Even the Queen's uncle was, at one time, a drug addict.

Prince Charles and Co are the architects of their own downfall in that for all their expensive education they can still appear awkward in their job and almost utterly characterless. They are not worthy of respect.

Aled Jones,

Mount Crescent,

Bridlington.

Updated: 10:38 Friday, July 22, 2005