It’s easy to see why monarchists in Northern Ireland are royally ticked off with Tesco

There will still be many a household in Northern Ireland with a Charles and Diana mug lurking at the back of the kitchen cupboard.

On the matter of royal merchandise, there is no protocol to follow. The laws of supply and demand come into play.

Major supermarkets are not stupid. If people want to buy something, they will generally sell it to them.

Outside Tesco in Cookstown yesterday afternoon, there was no sign of unionist anger, despite the recent complaints.

People were pushing trolleys and pulling unwilling children along while on their way to pick up some groceries.

The only anger was from kids who would much rather be somewhere else.

As for signs of the Queen’s jubilee, you may well ask, ‘What jubilee?’

The closest I got to anything with a royal slant inside the store was a book called The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor — the Truth and the Turmoil.

Perhaps there could be a reprint, Inside the House of Tesco — the Truth and the Turmoil?

Those of a unionist persuasion in the Co Tyrone town would undoubtedly have a line or two to add.

But there’s more to it than the supermarket apparently failing to recognise a jubilee.

Unionist councillors here have seen their majority disappear in the last two decades.

They have issues over money being spent on Irish-language road signs, they feel their views are being sidelined by the nationalist-controlled council, and every perceived slight against their culture is viewed through that magnifying glass. That some have hit out has to be seen through this lens.

There was also a distinct lack of Northern Ireland merchandise in the same store during the European Football Championships in 2016.

The mood won’t have been helped by Mid Ulster District Council confirming it was to hold a reception for a cup-winning Coalisland football side that was fined after footage emerged of people on the team bus singing pro-IRA songs.

Strolling around the store, you can’t deny that the criticisms have merit.

You’re met by a wall of Father’s Day cards and chocolates. The only disposable plates you can buy if you were planning a party to celebrate over the bank holiday weekend were plain white, unless you’re into pink princesses, but that link to royalty is tenuous at best.

Tesco did reply to the criticism, saying: “Our customers really value the choice we offer, and we know many of our customers in Northern Ireland want to celebrate the jubilee.

“That’s why we are stocking some products to help those who want to celebrate, as well as giving the chance to win a limited edition jubilee card with £700 to spend in-store or online.”

Not in Cookstown, though. The Tesco is at the north end of the town. The local branch of Asda is at the south end and, funnily enough, green is the main colour in its logo.

Once again, in Asda, jubilee fever is not on the menu. There are no celebratory plates, no special offers.

But look closely around the shelves, and you will find a little something of a royal nature.

For just a fiver, you can get into the jubilee party mood with the fitting CD For Queen and Country: Music for a Royal Celebration.

It was rather cheekily placed above a copy of the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the B*******, which of course contains the anti-monarchy God Save the Queen.

There was also a charity CD from Alfie Boe and Sarah Brightman, also called God Save the Queen, on which they sing the national anthem with the NHS Voices of Care Choir.

Beyond music, there was a stylish, if understated, white Union flag T-shirt on offer, and another in black with a golden crown design and ‘Queen’ written underneath, though that may have been related to the band rather than Her Majesty.

Neither store had a copy of Queen’s greatest hits, despite the band and Adam Lambert selling out Belfast’s SSE Arena last weekend.

By the time I was leaving, it had just passed lunchtime. Coronation chicken sandwich, anyone?