Letter: People's Palace: no royalty allowed

Sir: Mo Mowlam's proposal to build a new 'People's Palace', ('Monarchists scorn people's palace idea', 8 August) incorporating the best of British architecture and design could be an inspired idea, with two major modifications. First, keep the Royal Family out of it, especially the Prince of Wales, who has already done enough damage to British architectural design confidence.

Second, make it a 'Palace for Europe', a celebration of design like the Great Exhibition of 1851. But instead of exhibiting British imperialism, let it promote the best of European architecture and design, to show the world that Europe means business. We don't need a self-confident expression of monarchy in the 21st century, we need trade confidence in an increasingly competitive world market.

Yours faithfully,

HELENA BEAUFOY

Oxford

9 August