Just a bit of my background. I served nine years in the Royal Navy. You would be surprised at how many servicemen are anti-Royal. A lot of servicemen join up because they can't get a job. A case of foot and mouth – ie. no shoes on their feet and nothing in their belly.

I served on HMS Belfast, she was, in 1968, permanently moored in Upper Portsmouth Harbour. I was there nine months. Just forward of us was the Yacht Britannia. She had a crew aboard and the yacht title is a misnomer, she is a seagoing liner. She never left the berth while I was there. There isn't a company in the world that could afford to have a liner just sit there. But the British Royals do it.

They say the Queen does a good job, but the way I see it if you paid a waiter $2000 an hour you would expect good service. Britain and the Commonwealth are supposed to be democratic, yet if I was to meet the Queen I'd be expected to bow to her: To say I am a lesser person than her. Yet if I met US President, I would warmly shake his hand and as I see it USA has the greatest and richest democracy in the world.

My one regret when I was on the Belfast, is when I went ashore to see my girlfriend I would have to walk past Charles Dickens House/Museum, which was free to go in. I kept telling myself I must stop and go in there one day and I never did.

Ken Jones, Katikati.