While most of us are fixated on why the King needs to travel to this country with his own supply of fresh blood or how many pomps his ceremonies will need, there are more serious issues raised by the visit to Australia of Charles Mountbatten Windsor, who by birthright holds central powers in Australia’s constitution.

Predictably the official Australian Republic Movement has welcomed this as the last tour of a reigning monarch, dubbing it the ‘Farewell Tour’. They did this for Elizabeth’s last visit and no doubt they will do it for William’s when he is king – unless something seriously radical changes in the republican movement.

We were told there would be an upwelling of republicanism after the death of the much-respected Elizabeth Windsor. There wasn’t; in fact the opposite occurred.

The official republicans are rolling out the same trope, hoping against hope, that Charles and Camilla’s visit will reignite the desire for a republic among Australians.

There are two chances of this, Buckley’s and none.

For decades now the ‘official republicans’ have pursued the most minimal and miserable of strategies for a republic – just change the head of state. But what if we don’t need a head of state at........

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