King Charles III, so late in life to the throne, has declared he plans to modernise the monarchy. But the family’s way of life is built around the feudal right of primogeniture, where everyone is ranked by their order in the line of succession. Little wonder every generation throws up a sibling who chafes against life in their cage and starts playing the popularity card.

Does anyone even want a contemporary monarchy? The death of the Queen revealed what the firm does best: ritual, ceremony, tradition. Her funeral was a marvel of arcane rites and proclamations that allowed Britain to reflect on a thousand years of continuity at a time of upheaval.

Some Australians, flinching at the cry “God Save the King”, point to the latest messy dynamics and suggest it is high time we decouple from the royal carriage and become a republic.

It’s a suggestion with merit as our nation becomes less Anglo with every wave of migration. And yet poll after poll – even among the young who are watching the Netflix escapade – suggests there is little appetite for it. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the Herald on the weekend he had other priorities in mind.

Certainly, Australia’s enthusiasm for the family has not waned at all. In the documentary, Harry and Meghan say they proved too popular when they toured Down Under and that was the beginning of the end. They had to be put in their place.

Australia, too, has to think about its place. While there’s little momentum now for a complete break from the Commonwealth family, with all the angst that would cause, there is at least now serious discussion about our evolving national identity.

Perhaps the debate next year about the Voice to parliament – and its acknowledgement of this continent’s truly ancient heritage – will be our own way to modernise.

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