A bonny prince, but we deserve to be a republic

This article was published in The Australian 21 January 2010

The media frenzy and swooning women that have characterised Prince William's visit to Australia mask an awkward reality.

This 27-year-old man, a stranger to our shores, is pre-ordained to be our head of state. There will be no election, no contest and no vote. No correspondence will be entered into.

And as sensible as he appears now, the prince will still assume the mantle if he takes to talking to plants, drinking at breakfast or howling at the moon.

His one and only qualification for the job came at the moment of birth. So after his grandmother retires or expires, and presumably after the same occurs with his father, he shall be king of England and, as such, head of state to 15 other Commonwealth countries, including Australia.