IT seems to me that the birth of the Sussex baby ("'I have the two best guys in the world' Meghan says on Archie's debut", The Herald, May 9) represents two opportunities. One for the internet to prove its true democratic potential, and the other to get the royals off the public payroll, especially when they appear to be mainly reduced to the status of "celebrities". With Archie's name being announced on his parents' Instagram account, an account with a global reach of 7.3m followers and counting, I see a lucrative future of royal internet influencers, YouTubers, tweeters, and Pinteresters. Brands would line up for their endorsements, as the global unthinking followed their every move and advice, subscribing also to the Sussex YouTube channel. Already, the aforementioned Instagram account has hundreds of thousands, and in some case millions, more followers than many top influencers on that platform.
I wish Harry, Meghan, and Archie well, but I truly cannot see why I and others should fund any of it, especially when they can harness social media stardom and fatuousness.
Kenneth Reid,
Edinburgh EH4.
Comic cuts
ALLAN Steele's letter on Wilson of the Wizard (May 8)brought back many happy if at times slightly vague memories. As I recall Wilson was possibly at one time Wilfon with the two letters coalescing back, roughly in 1600 when he was allegedly born. He led a mysterious life and was to be glimpsed occasionally, fully attired in his black outfit, effortlessly outrunning the foxes and wolves which chased him through the darkling woods. His greatest triumph however was to comewhen he ran the first sub-four-minute mile at a race meeting at Stamford Bridge in 1947. If my memory serves me correctly "he actually was delayed for the start of the race. Roger would nail it a few years later".
Among my favourites, and I was an avid comic reader, were such as Alf Tupper, the Tough of the Track, who lived under a railway viaduct and existed on stale bread and dripping. However, my first choice was unquestionably the twins, Alan and HK Rodd, brought up on a Hebridean island by a wise scientific father. Alan was brilliant but HK (the initials remained a mystery) was pure genius, educated "to resolve highly complex tasks with effortless ease"'. Given a tennis racket and the dimensions of the court explained to him he proceeded to win the singles title at Wimbledon.
Fabulous stuff – it was much later before I realised it was essentially a dramatic but highly entertaining account of a nature/nurture theory.
William Dickie,
Glasgow G74.
Let’s hear the ref
I HEARTILY agree with the comments made by Forbes Dunlop (Letters, May 8) regarding the constant witter spewed out by the commentators on televised rugby matches. Obviously points (meaning pounds) are deducted for a few seconds of silence.
I can put up with this, but my main gripe is that when I want to listen to the referee about his decision, their drivel drowns it out.
Please commentators, let us here the referee give his explanation of his decision.
Malcolm Rankin,
Seamill.
DAVID Hay (Letters, May 9) suggests that I am “missing the expert commentary of the late, great Bill McLaren”. I agree, and said as much in my original letter, but this line was omitted.
Forbes Dunlop,
Glasgow G13.
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