We have been infantilized by the monarchy and it’s holding us back as a nation - Yorkshire Post Letters

Your leading article (YP October 12) suggests that the coronation will "help the nation go forward". I disagree; it will hold us back.

Spellbound by the monarchy we are infantilised and paralysed, deterred from even thinking about the improvements needed in our constitution.

We pat ourselves on the back and convince ourselves that all will be fine as long as we keep the creaking edifice of the United Kingdom intact in all its royal pomp; so much easier than rousing ourselves to the (admittedly daunting) challenge of building more effective state machinery for England, Scotland and Wales (within a looser union until all are ready for independence).

Eventually an heir to the throne will plead with the government to be excused from perpetuating this tired charade - that will be a typically and fittingly British way to transition from monarchy, a transition which many of our competitor nations completed decades or even centuries ago. I hope it happens in my lifetime.