Letter: Monarchies far from outmoded

Sir: Charles Fyffe (letter, 14 September) is being disingenuous in describing our ally of two world wars, the US, as barbaric and two of our major European partners, France and Italy, as corrupt. The suggestion that monarchies are in some way inherently more democratic than republics takes some swallowing. Two of our enemies in the Second World War, Japan and Italy, were monarchies; the latter was the breeding gound of fascism, and Imperial Japan deserved, if any country has, the description barbaric. In the First World War Germany was an imperial state.

Mr Fyffe might also consider that the countries of democratic virtue he cites - Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Spain - all have monarchies whose roles and remuneration are set out in written constitutions.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MISELL

Solihull, West Midlands