The PR in prince

Published on 26/01/2013 00:00

A correspondent referred recently to Dr John Cameron as a “polymath” but I do not believe that explains the phenomenon. The stream of erudite science, informed comment on countless topics, religious and secular, vehement condemnation of reckless military adventures and political opinion straight from the last Tory in Scotland can only have one explanation.

“Dr John Cameron” is a franchise, operated by a group of correspondents who meet in secret in St Andrews to pen the daily submission to The Scotsman.

However, I fear that the Camerons are a bit off the mark in their latest contribution (Letters, 24 January). They may feel kindly towards the “robust, occasionally laddish” approach of Prince Harry, but it is stretching credulity to suggest that his remarks are those of any young soldier who suddenly has a microphone stuck in front of him.

Press coverage of any royal serving in the forces is not left to chance but the result of considerable PR management.

It beggars belief that his contribution to the extensive and fragile debate about the role and self-image of the British forces in Afghanistan would have been left to chance.

Perhaps we should be asking whether it was fair to Harry and to those brave young men and women with whom he serves to try to extract some “good news” from his return. There is more at stake here than PR for a prince.

Ian Taylor

Manse Road

Edinburgh