After the recent events with Prince Andrew maybe it is time to ask why we have the institution of the Royals at all? Why do we pay so many millions for them? Why do we allow them to have so much power, influence and favour?

The Royals have 600 buildings, 6,000 rooms, 20 acres of roofs at Balmoral and Sandringham Palaces (bought with public money during the reign of Queen Victoria). They are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. The Royals even own the sea beds and have lands that should belong to the people or at least the state. They were paid a sum of £82 million in the year of 2018 from the public purse. The Queen in her own right is a billionaire, and one of the richest women on the planet.

Surely this is an obscene and wasteful use of the resources of this nation for the benefit of a very few people. Just think what could be done with 6,000 rooms and 600 buildings for the homeless.

We have seen such a decline in the health service, our schools, our rail and roads. But we keep the royals in luxury. Is it not time this great inequality was addressed?

Stephen Starkie (Monmouth)