Why was the jubilee a success? Because republicans had nothing as jolly to offer | Stephen Bates

The palace will be pleased with the public reaction. But they learned again how heavily they still rely on the Queen for that goodwill

Scanning the jubilee press coverage, the Buckingham Palace media teams must have allowed themselves a glow of satisfaction. The four days passed off more successfully than perhaps they might have feared. Her Majesty was nursed through the celebrations and potential pitfalls were skilfully evaded: Prince Andrew's dose of Covid proved convenient; the Sussexes did not draw too much attention to themselves.

Better still, from the monarch's point of view, they were seen playing happy families. Prince Charles had Camilla firmly by his side and was even seen to be dandling Prince Louis on his knees during Monday's pageant, while his parents, Prince William and Catherine, looked almost like normal parents, minus the hassles most have to endure. Prince George, meanwhile, betrayed the boredom of small boys everywhere, forced to listen to his parents' sort of music: oldies he'd never heard of at the concert. Normal people, yet not normal at all.

Stephen Bates reported on the royal family for the Guardian and is the author of Royalty Inc