“Trust is another essential tool – it’s built over time through consistency, reliability and transparency. Flexibility helps navigate challenges as life evolves, while empathy fosters understanding and emotional connection. Conflict resolution skills enable couples to address disagreements constructively. And, of course, maintaining individual identities and allowing personal growth within the relationship keeps things vibrant.”

Dr Ben-Ari adds: “Ultimately, the combination of these tools can contribute to a strong, happy and loving relationship. Viewing the relationship as a journey of discovery and a space where we can grow together involves anticipating that we might trigger each other the most, given the inherent nature of a close relationship. However, mastering the skills to bounce back and utilise our differences as a guiding process can lead to a deeper connection.”

It might sound cynical to suggest that there is no such thing as the old-school happy ever after, but it’s an incredibly hopeful and joyful concept to embrace. It means that, instead of ticking boxes in a bid to get to the so-called end of a relationship, we can sit back and enjoy the ride. We can stop piling pressure on ourselves to look and behave and be a certain way. We can stop chasing the impossible goals of yesteryear’s pop culture romances and instead make like the heroes of our modern-day love affairs and take it slow.

There’s an old adage: love is a marathon, not a sprint. So let’s stop rushing to get to the finish line and instead focus on the happy right now. Because hell, if it’s good enough for the first son of the United States of America and the Prince of England himself, it’s definitely good enough for us.

How today’s film and TV is rewriting the rules of love