A king of hearts?

I am grateful to Max Beloff for his generous review of my book The Monarchy and the Constitution (THES, December 8). But I am surprised that he questions the statement that "Edward VII through his friendships did a great deal to encourage toleration towards Jews at the beginning of the century".

In his 1964 biography of Edward VII, Philip Magnus relates that the Empress Marie of Russia "was always horrified and astonished by her brother in law's philo-semitism"; in 1991 a whole book was devoted to the subject, Anthony Allfrey's Edward VII and his Jewish Court.

Max Beloff is an exceptionally well-read man. But even Homer should not project his nods on to the authors of the books he reviews.

Vernon Bogdanor Brasenose College, Oxford