I couldn't agree more with Simon Smith about the cruel way the Royal family treated Princess Diana (Letters, December 11).

As for the Royals attracting tourists to this country, that is rubbish.

I have travelled all over the world including Russia, which has no royal family - tourists were queuing in their thousands to see the many palaces which they have.

It's the same in other countries all over the world. So it's time we grew up and stopped living this dream that the Royal family is an asset to us when the foreigners I have spoken to all think they are sad and outdated.

-Margaret Funnell, Brighton