Readers' letters December 1

Give us a break from the royal wedding
Prince Harry and Meghan MarklePrince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

I bet there were a few gulps round ‘Buck House’ when Harry said he was marrying Meghan, an American mixed race divorcee joining the house of Windsor. It’s about time the monarchy moved with the times and reflected modern society.Harry’s marrying Meghan because he’s in love. This isn’t the same situation as the one his mum, the People’s Princess, was in – an arranged marriage of the worst kind.He seems a nice bloke, she seems a nice woman but I really hope we can have a break from it now – no wall-to-wall TV news coverage or endless pages of these two in the papers.Even a humbug republican like me wishes them a long and happy marriage but it’s ages away until May. We don’t need it rammed down our throats 24/7.Give us a break.Jayne Grayson via email

royalsHow the times have changed

When King Edward VIII, pictured inset, decided to marry the beautiful American divorceé in 1936, the powers-that-be, including the Church of England, forced him to abdicate. By all accounts he would have made a great king. He was a friend of the many out-of-work folks and went to many poverty-stricken parts of the UK during the Depression of the 1930s. He encouraged at least 200,000 out-of-work folk to join in his back-to-work schemes. King Edward was far more well-liked than his father King George V, who showed little interest in ordinary folk.It is more than likely King Edward’s knowledge of, and interest in, politics could have brokered peace between us and Germany and kept us out of a disastrous war which left us with 67,000 civilians killed, 90,000 sent to hospital and almost half a million troops killed. He had to abdicate and yet Prince Harry, sixth in line to the throne, plans to marry a beautiful American divorcée and everybody seems to think it is wonderful.How times change.Granville V Stonevia email

environmentHow trees make a difference

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Trees play an essential and valuable part in sustaining us. As part of National Tree Week celebrations, I invite people to participate in a cause I care about. It is a plan, supported by the International Tree Foundation (ITF), to plant 20 million trees around Mount Kenya. They will help restore ecosystems, improve farmers’ lives and, by engagement with local communities, make young people part of the future.By going online at https://secure.thebiggiveorg.uk/project/20MillionTrees between now and noon on December 5, donations will be DOUBLED until the target limit is reached. Assuming it is, a pledge I have made to the ITF will be quadrupled. To discover more about the importance of trees and the amazing work done by the ITF, visit the website at: http://internationaltreefoundation.orgJohn AllenGarstang

energyNo need for fracking

I find it strange that companies are fracking at all, with all the energy resources that are available to us humans. It was said that once we split the atom, there would be limitless power to the human race.We have solar, wind and wave power, so I don’t understand why we are fracking. And with by-products, the extra danger to life and property and possible contamination to our water supplies, it doesn’t make any sense. I would hate to lose home and belongings in a sink hole.Is it worth all the danger to family, friends and pets? I’m hoping we all may stand together against fracking.Jeffrey BilhamAddress supplied

environmentWe’ve strayed from nature

Climate change is happening at an alarming place. We can’t keep pumping pollutants in the air without there being an adverse effect on our health. Renewable energy is being cast aside and rich people are blinded by their ignorance. I am afraid they will destroy our planet for greed. We have strayed away from nature and exploited it, now I am afraid it is too late. Name and address supplied

TransportTop talent will flood to London

HS2 will suck more talent and resources into London from the rest of the nation. High-speed lines from provincial cities in France and Japan have had exactly the effect of centralising more resources in Paris and Tokyo.HS2 is not wanted by people in the south of England impacted by the proposal and will be counter-productive to the north. What we need is sensible upgrading of rail services across the north, rail links to airports and a modern urban transport system. All of this could be done at a fraction of the cost of HS2.Gerald Hodgson via email

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