We are indebted to a Mr DB Hughes of Conwy for copying us in on a letter he has sent to the editor of The Sun about a recent front-page story headlined 'War of the Windsors'. 'I would like to respectfully point out to you that on 17 July 1917, during the First World War, King George V issued a proclamation stating that the male line descendants of the British Royal Family will bear the surname "Windsor" instead of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha",' he wrote.


'You have conveniently overlooked the FACT that Prince Philip's father was Prince Andrew of Greece who married Alice of Batten Berg and Prince Philip adopted his mother's family name of "Batten Berg". It is possible that Prince Philip decided upon Batten Berg to be the family name to avoid the objections to Prince Philip of Greece being married to the Sovereign: just as Prince Charles has called himself a Windsor when in fact, if he was to adopt his father's name (as is normal), he would be known as Prince Charles of Greece.


'I find that this erroneous reference to Prince Philip, Prince Charles and other Batten Bergs to being Windsors to be very offensive to any male descendant of King George V who is a TRUE Windsor. I am certain that if he was alive King George VI would echo these views most adamantly.' Also copied in were the Press Council and one Rupert Murdoch - 'for information' - as Mr Hughes tries to 'prevent any further damage to the good name of Windsor'.