Royally confused

With the Earl of Wessex becoming royal patron of the Edinburgh International Festival one can’t help but wonder what the point of such titles is. Apparently he “has a great interest in performing arts”. It’s news to me and, I would imagine, a great many ordinary patrons of the festival. Surely the days are long gone when royal patronage was really necessary, and maybe an artistic patron is more appropriate? There are many people in the arts world who have supported the festival over the years and would generate a much more positive image than this rather undistinguished royal individual. D MITCHELL

The Glebe Cramond, Edinburgh