The Queen is in New Zealand for her first tour of the country in seven years, and a new poll shows the majority of New Zealanders want to keep her as head of state.
Her plane touched down in Wellington from Jamaica slightly ahead of schedule just before 9.30am on Friday.
The Queen and Prince Philip shook hands with Governor General Dame Sylvia Cartwright, Acting Prime Minister Jim Anderton and other dignatories.
They received the official 21 gun salute, and inspected a guard of honour, before leaving on a special Air New Zealand plane to Taupo.
The royal visit will last five days and take in Wellington, Taupo, Christchurch and Auckland.
The Queen will be escorted by New Zealand Air Force Squadron Leader Leanne Woon, who has become the Queen's first female equery. The Queen and Prince Philip leave for Australia on Wednesday morning.
New Zealanders seem keen to keep the Queen as head of state.
A ONE News Colmar Brunton poll asked 1,000 New Zealanders whether New Zealand should give up allegiance to the Queen and become a republic.
While 33% said yes, a resounding 58% said no.
It is a level of support that mirrors the same survey conducted back in 1995.
"It's partly because people let sleeping dogs lie, the Governor-General to all intents and purposes carries out the Queen's duties when the Queen isn't here which is most of the time," Prime Minister Helen Clark said.
"In other words, it works."
National Party leader Bill English said New Zealanders do not feel the need to move on yet.
"But when they contemplate the future options for who's going to be the next monarch, then they might want to have a discussion about it," he said.
And it is a discussion that could be long and complex.
Dr Noel Cox of the Monarchists' League says republicanism would require significant changes to New Zealand's political system.
"It wouldn't just be a case of replacing the monarchy with a president, the opportunity would have to be taken to restructure our entire constitutional structure. An upper house, a written constitution," Cox said.
A major issue in any republican debate is the Treaty of Waitangi, and what happens to the covenant between Maori and the Crown.
"Maori and iwi will be very very cautious about losing that fundamental link between the iwi and the hapu of New Zealand and the crown. That will have to be a very carefully thought out process," said Tahu Potiki, of Ngai Tahu.
That is a process that many have devoted plenty of thought to already.
"My own view is that the institutional base has often changed it's form and republicanism is just another change and will not and cannot be allowed to affect the treaty relationship," said lawyer Moana Jackson.
The tiny New Zealand republican movement says that it is planning to promote its message during the Queen's visit.