After Pope John Paul II's death six years ago, the faithful in St Peter's Square chanted 'Santo subito!', in a spontaneous call for him to be made a saint immediately. This is actually a practice that dates back to the first centuries of the Church's history.
During the persecution of the early Christians, all martyrs to the faith were proclaimed 'Santo Subito!'. It was not until the sixth century that the Church instituted formal procedures that were required to precede the beatification and subsequent canonisation of holy men and women.
Believers' acceptance of these procedures has fluctuated over the centuries but, essentially, popular sentiment has remained in a state of healthy tension with the rules.
The same might be said for the English monarchy, which has had to balance the Act of Settlement 1701, the Royal Marriages Act 1772, and common law, with popular wishes such as 'Long live the Queen!' or 'Kill the king!'.
In the lead up to the royal wedding, there has been much speculation over whether Prince William might displace his father as successor to Queen Elizabeth II, in line with the wishes of the people as indicated by opinion polls. That is unlikely, but it does suggest many would like to see him crowned king immediately, and that it is only royal process that is standing in the way of this popular acclaim.
There is no doubt that William is seen as a proxy for his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who continues to be regarded as a cult hero. As a charismatic figure of compassion and style, her image represents what many long for in a monarch. To date William has not disappointed.
For his part, John Paul II's perceived personal holiness, coupled with his actor's gift for communication, makes him super-human in the eyes of many Catholics — certainly saint material. Immediately following his death in 2005, he was referred to as 'John Paul the Great'. He was only the fourth pope to be given this title, the first since the first millennium.
For the monarchy to be accepted by the large number of royal subjects influenced by the 'cult of Diana', the royal family will need to make some concessions, sooner rather than later, and accept that William is de facto king.
At this stage it is hard to conceive that popular support for the monarchy will hold if William remains in his father's shadow until his father dies,