"I don't understand the celebrity attraction of people who basically do charity work with public money."
Ah, the encouraging words of a republican pal on the eve of my second royal visit.
My enthusiasm was not dampened.
According to unsubstantiated rumours in our newsroom, I, known royal tragic, had willed a fellow reporter sick so I could - gallantly, I say - come over from Tauranga and help with the coverage.
So I had no problem batting away the pesky politics of it all and allowing myself to enjoy a spot of royal watching on my home turf.