Napoleon’s cloak, which is to go on display at Windsor Castle (Waterloo robe: Bonaparte’s cloak in exhibition on battle, 29 January), was apparently “taken” from his baggage train after the battle and is just one of many such artefacts that “came into the possession of the royal family”. Might we read “taken” as “stolen” or “looted”, and “came into the possession of” as a euphemism for “receiving stolen goods”.
Perhaps now would be a good time to return the cloak to Napoleon’s family, or to France (the country that presumably paid for the cloak of its emperor), along with all the other similarly acquired items. It might even encourage those who currently possess the Parthenon marbles to do the same.
Leslie Beaumont
Croston, Lancashire
