The news has been dominated, variously and momentarily, by an uninhibited child stroking Harry’s beard, a young woman weeping openly after Harry gave her a hug, closeups of Meghan’s now-obvious baby bump and meticulous documentation of her outfits. They’re so natural, we’ve been saying! So down to earth! Look at how Meghan holds an umbrella over Harry as he delivers a heart-rending speech praising the grit of NSW farmers! And she even baked banana bread!

Yet also featured in the news last week, though not nearly as prominently, has been revelations that the Queen - our Queen, that is, over in England - believes Australia should just “get on with it” if we truly want to become a republic, rather than waiting until she dies. The accepted wisdom is that in the years since the failed 1999 referendum, the hip young royals, led by princely brothers Wills and Harry and their beautiful, enigmatic wives, have modernised the royal family and kept the monarchy - as an institution - close to our hearts.

But, incredibly to an outsider, the two stories, while published simultaneously, have not converged to form a larger, more urgent narrative. Republicans are not using the latest royal visit as an opportunity to lobby for an end to our constitutional monarchy. Why bother? Kids giving posies of flowers to princesses will always be adorable. Crowds will always gather - out of curiosity, mainly - to catch a glimpse of the “down-to-earth” couple as they perform the time honoured ritual of gracious smiling, shaking hands, sampling of local fare, patting of exotic animals, wearing of covetable clothes.

In the meantime, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has promised to hold a plebiscite in the next term of Parliament if he takes power at the next election. He wants to first ask people if they support the idea of Australia becoming a republic. If the answer was "yes", then another vote would be held to determine what kind of republic Australia would become (unlike the 1999 referendum, which blended the initial question of becoming a republic with opting, simultaneously, for one particular republican model).

But the rest of the world - those living outside Australia - might be baffled to learn that this story has almost nothing to do with the actual royals on our shore being adored at every turn.

Because to most people, whether they’re joining the breathless crowds, feverishly updating the live blogs or even sitting back and looking the other way in contempt for all this fawning, Harry and Meghan are just celebrities. Yes, it’s celebrity born of inherited wealth and privilege, by dint of arcane tradition, but shiny and exciting and wholesome nonetheless.

Why begrudge the public their brush with celebrity? It’s happy and it’s innocent and the sight of a small child hugging Harry is a balm in these grim times. They have acted with grace, good humour and respect while on our shores, and have delighted the scores who turned out to see them. They will be warmly welcomed back to this shore by most when they next decide to return. Becoming a republic won’t change that.