16 DECEMBER 1995, Page 56

Ducal encounter

Sir: Alexander Chancellor records (Diary, 9 December) that the Duke of Norfolk recognised the name Chancellor as being familiar. This may be due to the fact that some 35 years ago they both attended a wedding; the Duke as godfa- ther to the bride (then Alice Jolliffe) and Alexander as brother and best man to the groom.

The other possibility is that the Duke may have noticed Alexander's byline at some intervening period.

Edward Chancellor

Dairy Cottage, Chilcombe, Nr Bridport, Dorset