LETTERS Defence of the realm
Sir: I am writing to comment on the mis- chievous and provocative article by H. Massingberd CAB the Queen's men', 1 February). He is entitled to his opinions and so am I, having served the monarchy for 50 years and having met most of the names he mentions.
I cannot comment about the Queen's pri- vate secretaries as I have no knowledge of their work but I have met most of those mentioned. They are men of the highest calibre and I am certain they give loyal and devoted service and very sound advice. To quote from the article: 'The Royal Secre- tary walks a tightrope' and none of them has fallen 'into the abyss below'. So much for the writer's unsubstantiated comments.
Massingberd says the Queen's House- hold consists of uninspiring and unimagina- tive men. How does he know? Has he served the Queen in any capacity to make such judgments? Does he really think equerries should go round giving orders to the Queen? Does he really believe Lambton's laughable remarks about the Royal Family being socially insecure? Does he know any equerries? I suspect he has never met one otherwise he wouldn't make such ill-informed comments. Statecraft is the business of the Private Secretary, equerries have different duties. He should know this.
In the third paragraph from the end of the article he talks about the Royal Soap Opera. The one thing you don't want is to turn the Royal Family into a soap opera. Goodness knows the media do their worst to achieve this. Massingberd goes on: 'Instead of the existing barrage of toadies, stuffed shirts, bureaucrats' etc. Let's tidy up these innuendos. Looking at the Household List, I see it contains the names of a num- ber of as distinguished men and women as you will find in any organisation anywhere.
In his blinkered view anyone working for the monarchy automatically becomes a brainless flunkey or a stuffed shirt. (The press loves to use the word 'flunkey' or 'brass hat'. Take either, you must by impli- cation be stupid or worse.) He suggests the employment of a statesman but he doesn't say where you find such a person. As the Queen sees the Prime Minister every week she probably can get all the advice neces- sary. I thought the press office was staffed by professionals already.
The writer does not appear to know any- one in the Household because if he did he wouldn't write such rubbish about it. Per- haps he hasn't been asked to a Garden Party! I am told he writes well about hous- es. He should stick to that.
In conclusion I say this. I am surprised that a right-wing magazine such as The Spectator, to which I subscribe, should print
such an ill-informed article at this time, when a general election is in the offing and we need all our stable institutions.
A.G. Way
Kincairney,Dunkeld, Perthshire
Previous page
