Sign of The Times

Aussie eyes have turned across the Tasman to observe the State
funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary. He was very much the kind of Kiwi they like – rugged, irreverent and successful in what he did without beating any Australians in the process.

More to the point, though, the absence of any member of the royal family has not gone unnoticed. In New Zealand, the Herald pointed out they didn’t expect an 80-year-old to hop on a plane and travel across the world but one of her sons could surely have made an effort, though Prince Charles did have something on to do with British mutton on the day itself. While mutton is close to Kiwi hearts, this was not a sufficient excuse.

The Herald’s readers clearly took a different view - they couldn’t give a damn whether any royals turned up or not and many felt it was better if they didn’t.

The message, from both Buckingham Palace and Auckland, seems clear. Next time the issue of a republic raises its head here, expect Sir Ed’s funeral to play a part in the debate.