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After years of publishing editorial letters, political columns etc. I finally received a snail mail response from some anonymous soul offended by a letter published in the March 5 Ottawa Sun. This nameless monarchist was annoyed by my claim regarding the queen’s lack of a last name. I was told that a simple internet search would reveal Elizabeth’s last name as Windsor. Sorry about that but I have an old letter from a Buckingham Palace communication officer stating that the queen “…is not required by British law to have a last name.” Perhaps she uses the name Windsor while in Canada for the sake of anonymity when paying hotel bills or buying bigger hats?
PS I did get Meghan's name wrong but does it really matter? The other prince/princette pair have enjoyed the same level of Canadian largesse.

Meghan and Harry’s Canadian Subsidies

As published in the Ottawa Sun: March 5, 2020

Apparently Canada is still paying for the security of these millionaire tourists who could easily hire private bodyguards. Alternately, they could go back to England where they will presumably be safer.

Do you find my sentiments offensive? Perhaps you a fan of the world’s most profitable human tourist attraction? Do you love to fawn over famous people who have no last name? Well, here’s your chance to join those Canadians eagerly basking in the reflected grace of this princeling and his princette since the pair now live among us.

While Meghan is a sitcom actress with a talent for commercial endorsements; Harry is the absentee duke of some inherited UK patch and the grandson of your plodding monarch; our lady of funny hats.

Unfortunately, royalty will endure until Canadians realize that the monarchy is nothing but a pricey cult of personality. It’s worth remembering that British rulers once had arbitrary powers of life and death over their subjects and that much of their personal wealth is derived from the business of inflicting British violence on other nations.

Every public dollar spent to protect wealthy royals ought to be diverted to finance security at homeless shelters, battered women’s residences and senior’s homes. The royals can pay their own bills although they rarely do.

RESPONSE:

DON’T FORGET THE INDIGENOUS

Re: The royal price we pay, March 5

I agree with Morgan Duchesney in his letter to the editor. Much of the British rulers’ wealth is derived from the business of inflicting British violence on other nations such as those in India, Australia and the Americas.

Yes, instead of spending money to protect the wealthy royals, let’s invest it into homelessness, battered women and seniors homes. But let’s also spend some of that money protecting the rights of the Indigenous Peoples whose wealth, health and lands were stolen as a result of the violence inflicted upon them by the British rulers.

ROBERT WHITEDUCK

PIKAWAKANAGAN, ONT.

(Yes, because there’s no problem more cash won’t fix)