13 SEPTEMBER 1997, Page 31

Sir: It made for grim viewing watching the Queen being

forced to jump through a hoop in order to satisfy the public's self- righteous demand for some sort of atone- ment for Diana's death. The institution of monarchy — based on a set protocol and a codified behaviour — was held in a crude stranglehold and made to bend before a hysterical populace. The unthinking selfish- ness and hypocrisy of such a stance is unbe- lievable. The British public ought to realise they can't have it both ways.

Hamza Hijjawi

PO Box 5279, Salmiya, Kuwait