While world leaders looked dignified paying tribute to Prince Philip, Boris Johnson was a shabby embarrassment

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

As a British permanent resident in South Africa for the past 38 years, exactly half of my lifetime to date, it is always an embarrassment to me when Boris Johnson appears on our local TV news.

Whilst I appreciate his condolences to the royal family on the passing of Prince Philip, would it be too much to ask Mr Johnson to arrange to have his hairstyle modified to suit the position he holds in Her Majesty’s government?

Tom Lambe

Johannesburg

Undignified

Starmer, Welby, even Biden … dignity, empathy, integrity. Johnson … back of a fag packet, staccato delivered in a shabby hair-do. Far less than we, even those of us who are not monarchists, are entitled to expect from our first officer of the state.

Perry Gardner

Wolsingham

He changed many young lives

Prince Philip’s Duke of Edinburgh Award was the equivalent of Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition. But - with all due respects to the latter - whereas 6 million well-heeled Londoners popped into Crystal Palace for a day’s frippery during six months of 1851 at the behest of Victoria’s consort, during the last 65 years Elizabeth’s right-hand man has permanently changed a large number of youngsters’ lives for the better.

Paul Dunwell

Cambridge

BBC’s enforced grieving

I bear the royal family no ill will but I strongly feel the enforced grieving by the BBC for the Duke of Edinburgh (every radio and TV channel) seems like something North Korea would do. Do they not realise they only alienate their users, particularly the younger demographic they need to attract?

Jim Alexander

Maidenhead

Loss of a national treasure

The passing away of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth, is the end of a major chapter in British politics and history. He always stood by the Queen and the royal family. He preserved the legacy of the institution. He was quite happy to stay in the shadows and serve his wife, the Queen. In his own way, he had a profound impact on British politics and the Queen over the decades.

The 750 plus charities, with which he supported as a patron, will miss him. The biggest loss is that of the Queen. She will miss a friend, counsellor and guide. And the British will miss the man who was seen as a “national treasure”. My condolences to everyone.

Rajendra Aneja

Mumbai, India

An Englishman in actions if not birth

Peter Fieldman’s letter referred to Prince Philip as a "true Englishman". That immediately jarred with me having read elsewhere that he was Greek/Danish/German by birth. I am no fan of the monarchy, but Fieldman’s term set me thinking. 

I consider myself a true Northerner having lived most of my life in Lancashire, although born in Derbyshire. Philip lived the vast bulk of his life in England, fought with distinction for us in the war and served the country in many ways as the Queen’s consort. I’m not sure what makes one "true", but he was certainly an Englishman.

John E Harrison

Chorley, Lancashire

Brexit is the culprit

Violent chaos is tragically reigning in Northern Ireland. Brexit is the main culprit. Almost everything Remainers voted to prevent is already coming into fruition. On the contrary, almost nothing Leavers voted to create has come to be - with the exception, of course, of Priti Patel’s anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, policies. But those policies will benefit no one. The enormous problems of Brexit will, however, be very much felt across these islands.

Sebastian Monblat

Sutton, London