Our monarch is gracing his dominion to see us, his subjects, in a land that still pretends we are not a republic at heart

Charles the Third has rather selflessly come to see you, Australians. Your Sovereign. Of whom we are all subjects.

Subjects. If you don’t like that word then you can change it in the constitution. Probably best to wait for him to go home first. Because he didn’t ask for that, and may be a bit embarrassed if you make a fuss about it.

Thomas Keneally is a novelist. He is the author of more than 40 books, including the Booker prize-winning novel Schindler’s Ark