Letter: Royal bloomer

Royal bloomer

Sir: When is an apology not an apology ("Yet another race slur trips off the Duke's tongue", 11 August)? When the following criteria apply: it is not made directly by the person claimed to be apologising, eg "Within hours, Buckingham Palace said ... ;" it contains the weasel words "any offence which may have been caused"; it is a repetition of "apologies" offered after a string of racist gaffes.

As one stupid old man to another, I suggest Prince Philip, once and for all, buttons up. How is it, anyway, that he still gets invited anywhere?

JIM BRUNTON

Edinburgh