MICK PEACOCK (HAS, May 24) was not the only one to find himself feeling slightly dismayed at the number of medals worn by certain members of the royal family at the royal wedding.

It brings to mind the behaviour of the pig Napoleon in George Orwell’s animal farm, who having assumed a position of power decides to award himself; ‘Animal Hero: First Class’, ‘Animal Hero: Second Class’ and ‘The Order Of The Green Banner’. His reasons for doing this were to create an illusion that he was somehow superior to the other animals and had every right to hold his position of privilege, which he had, in reality, done very little to earn.

These are the same reasons that Prince Charles and the Duke of Edinburgh own enough medals to sink a modest cargo ship. They have earned their medals not through gallant acts of bravery and patriotism, but by being born into a position of wealth and privilege. What a shameful act of vanity.

Brian Storm, Darlington.