Surely we are all grown-up enough not to need some minor royal swanning around offering a limp handshake and a wet smile every time there is a crisis.

The carefully choreographed visit of Prince Edward ensured he only met friendly faces in the devastated areas of Lewes, Isfield and Uckfield. But it was an absolute waste of people's time and energy with so much to be done to help those in greatest need.

I cannot conceive what possible good he thought he was doing although I can understand his public relations consultant wife Sophie urging him to do it.

Prince Edward is very much a man with an image problem. He has proved himself adept at putting his foot in it, and so has she.

What a furore when she was accused of exploiting her royal status promoting Rover cars at the Frankfurt motor show last year.

She was photographed with the Rover 75 after her PR firm had been given the contract to publicise it.

Prince Edward had to apologise after accusing the British of sneering at success in an interview with an American newspaper.

And there were many raised eyebrows when, in a deal arranged by an American bank, he was reputedly paid £200,000 for a programme about the fire at Windsor Castle.

Now he is threatened by a potential public relations nightmare. He is apparently resisting a demand, believed to be in the region of £500,000, for part of the refurbishment of his country home, Bagshot Park.

The building firm involved went bust nearly a year ago but the owners are prepared to pursue Prince Edward through the courts to get their money.

Such a confrontation would be a serious embarrassment for the whole Royal Family.

So he wanders round Lewes offering soggy sentiments in return for good photo opportunities.

But of course, as the town where the republican Tom Paine lived in the 18th Century, and the town which houses the Headstrong Club, a lively, largely republican debating society, there were many who recognised the royal visit for the irrelevance it was.

The Labour MP Norman Baker, a member of the Headstrong Club, as I am, was even asked by one local if there was anything he could do to stop Prince Edward coming.

However, while Mr Baker concedes he "wouldn't pretend to be a strong loyalist", he thought the visit would be helpful in focussing national attention on Lewes.

It is perturbing that he needs a royal visit to help him argue the case for money for the town when he approaches government.

The dreadful devastation is surely obvious without the distraction of an appearance by the Queen's third son.

The real surprise is the Government has not already declared a national emergency. But then Margaret Thatcher told us we had to look after ourselves, with the help of the insurance companies, after the 1987 hurricane.

Perhaps Tony Blair is taking the same, sensitive view today.