Support for a republic has dropped to 46 per cent in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death, results that would doom a referendum to failure.

An exclusive Resolve poll conducted for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald shows support is lowest among women, with 59 per cent opposing any change to a republic.

Victoria is the only state with majority support, with just over 50 per cent supporting the change in that state. So why are we seemingly so opposed to cutting ties with the British monarchy?

Today on Please Explain, chief political correspondent David Crowe joins Bianca Hall to discuss what could be behind our reticence to form a republic.