Why Kate should stick to using HRH

THEY are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge but William and Kate want to be known by their first names, without their titles, to appear more approachable after their difficult Caribbean tour in March. I’m not sure this is a good idea. While we might refer to them as ‘Wills and Kate’, meeting them is a big deal for people, and using titles acknowledges this. Sometimes a bit of pomp and circumstance is what we need; formality isn’t always a bad thing. I think being a bit detached can be helpful. There’s been a similar move in medicine, with doctors using their first names and calling patients by their first names, too. This sits uneasily with me. When you’re having an intimate examination, for example, using a surname helps to keep some distance. Maybe it’s old-fashioned, but I also like calling patients by surnames. It conveys respect and keeps a suitable emotional detachment. We shouldn’t mistake being caring with being intimate.

O ONLY one in 60 packed lunches for children is deemed nutritionally ‘healthy’, a study published this month found. How appalling, particularly considering another study also found a healthy adult lifestyle is less important for fending off heart disease than childhood nutrition. Surely this is yet more evidence that we should be taking childhood obesity seriously? It really isn’t hard to learn how to make a healthy packed lunch — or to keep the treats to a minimum. There’s even guidance parents can follow if they struggle to bung the components of a balanced diet in a lunchbox. Those who refuse to do so should be ashamed.