From the Pupuccino bar to the full buffet of dog treats, pooches are as pampered as her Majesty.

“That’s great, I’m proud to be British,” one person said.

But should we, as Kiwis, feel equally proud?

“It means we were once a British colony, we are no longer a British colony,” said New Zealand Republic campaign chairman Lewis Holden.

It is a categorical no according to the leader of our republican movement.

“We are now an independent country and we have to act like it. We have to have all of our own institutions,” Holden said.

But as a royal lover, Angela Thompson proved at her royal garden party last month that there is still very strong support for the monarchy in New Zealand.

“I’m very emotional and very upset, as soon as I said that it’s unbelievable,” Thompson said.

Latest surveys show more than half of Kiwis want to stay in the Commonwealth, and with the Queen’s popularity at an all-time high, even the most diehard Republicans admit it’s an uphill battle to change their minds. .

“There are a lot of people who love the Queen but don’t necessarily love the monarchy,” Holden said.

Across Britain, the stage is set for four days of celebrations, from pop concerts to street parties, and parades where a 42-man Kiwi military contingent will parade.

But how long will New Zealand stay in tune with Britain after the end of the Queen’s reign?