When I first moved back home, I became BBC Scotland’s go-to guest to discuss stories about the royals.

The reason soon became clear – they needed me to balance out the noise and to say something nice about the monarchy in a sea of angry callers and waspish commentators.

“Silver spoon buffoons”, came the texts, with insults peppered with words like lazy, rich, posh.

I simply liked the Queen. I saw her once in Dundee’s City Square, waving with Prince Philip from the Chambers balcony – and I cried.

Filled with emotion, a lone tear rolled down my face – not a political statement or allegiance to anything other than my own feelings.

‘Trump swatted Starmer like an irksome fly’

Perhaps it was the constancy and consistency of her for my generation and the one before.

She was there for their entire lives.

Like most people, I wondered what the future of the monarchy would be after she passed away.

Was anyone capable of being the world-class global representative Elizabeth II was?

Then this week happened – King Charles’ state visit to America, which has been hailed almost universally as a masterclass in diplomacy.

That was the question being asked........

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