The duke's death was hardly a surprise - he was just two months shy of his 100^th birthday and had spent as much time in hospital as out of it in recent months.

Nor, as the royal consort, will the duke's death spark any of the sort of constitutional change throughout the Commonwealth that the queen's death will bring.

Nonetheless, the duke's passing is a significant cultural moment for the United Kingdom, in particular, but also for an Australia that welcomed him to our shores on more than 20 occasions.

Flags have flown at half-mast across the country since Friday evening and our political leaders attended a special church service on Sunday to pay a nation's respects to Prince Philip.

Television networks interrupted their regular programming to bring us the news of the duke's passing and newspapers prepared special features to mark the moment in time.

Each town and city the duke had visited - Bathurst included - has spent the past few days recalling a brush with royalty and even his too-regular gaffes during public engagements have been airbrushed to become amusing anecdotes from a man who only wanted to make the people laugh.

We can only imagine what the response will be when the queen finally passes.

What the three days of wall-to-wall coverage has shown, though, is that while many believe it's only a matter of time until Australia becomes a republic, the nation remains in the thrall of the royals.

Australia's appetite for news about the duke's death and the endless memorials and tributes that followed revealed a country that still holds great affection, and great respect, for the royals.

Queen Elizabeth II has been on the throne longer than most Australians have been alive and has been a rare constant in a world that is changing at an alarming rate.

So just as previous reports of Prince Philip's death were found to have been greatly exaggerated then perhaps, too, have reports of the death of the monarchy.

It may be the case that the queen's death will not clear the way for an Australian republic, as previously thought, but instead prompt a strengthening of our country's regard for the royals. No wonder the monarchy has lasted so long.