Peter Jackson: Defending the Monarchy

As I write this I am drinking coffee at Heathrow, patiently waiting to be called to board my flight home from the coronation of Charles and Camilla. 

Well, not quite true. In fact if I lift my eyes slightly I can see rain falling on roses, as it has done every day for the last week. Had my invitation not gone astray in the mail, as I assume it did, however, I would have been there like a shot. Not simply because I am a fan of the monarchy, which I am, but for the history, to witness an ancient ritual conducted in an ancient building, parts of which date back to the 11th century.

And to have a cup of tea and a marmalade sandwich with my cousin in Oxford.

Every cloud has a silver lining though, and had I been on the other side of the world I would have missed the dubious pleasure of reading Shaneel Lal's column in last week's Herald on Sunday.

Stuart Smith: We Don’t Want a Feudal Society

This week we celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. For many of us, this will be the only coronation we have experienced. As we celebrate the coronation of our new head of state it is timely to reflect on the history and values that have shaped our nation.

New Zealand has been moulded by the convergence of different cultures and traditions. Maori were the first settlers, followed centuries later by Europeans who established their own society. In the early days of the colony, leadership was based on tribal structures and social status. With the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, we all became British subjects.