So bachelor boy Prince Harry arrives in the capital Saturday and after checking into his digs at Government House and laying a wreath. He'll have pride of place at the Cake Tin for the rugger match between the Hurricanes and the Sharks.

It's all in a day's work, where the royal business is in fact pleasure. Our paparazzi Prime Minister will meet him at the airport, but there'll be no pleasure in the business later in the day for him. He'll be in Ashburton for a regional National Party conference just as the whistle sounds in Wellington.

The 30-year-old Prince's visit comes as 'God's Own' debates whether to get rid of the British Union Jack on our flag, which will no doubt be fluttering over the stadium tomorrow night.

And of course, it comes at a time when there could be a change of government at Number 10 by kickoff time - and even though he's entitled to, the prince won't have voted because the Windsors see it as unconstitutional.

The flag debate got heated as Luigi Peters adopted the mood he's synonymous with, frustration and anger, when submissions were heard at a select committee. He's telling those who vote in the first referendum later this year to 'spoil' the ballot paper by scrawling across it that they support the current flag.

That referendum will give the punter a choice of four alternative designs to chose from, and then early next year that'll be put up against the current flag.

Luigi argues that's putting the proverbial horse before the cart. He says the first referendum should simply ask the punter whether they want a change of flag, and if they don't then there'd be no need for a second vote.

It would seem to be a fair point, even to those of us who'd like to see a flag change.

But it's an argument that's not accepted by the man John Key's charged with promoting his flag change proposition, the 'Dipton Drawler' Bill English. He says the referenda are designed to arrive at the fairest outcome.

It makes sense, English says, that people know the alternative before they vote on whether they want to change the flag.

And anyway, he says, by adopting a yes or no referendum first, it'd save only - yes he says only - $2.3 million.

With an attitude like that, is there any wonder why the Government's not going to achieve a surplus this year?