The Commonwealth Nations and the British Monarchy News

[sara8150]

King Charles to invite Kate and William to historic royal summit to carve out future of the monarchy - with hopes couple's 'star quality' will help

[Curryong]

King Charles to invite Kate and William to historic royal summit to carve out future of the monarchy - with hopes couple's 'star quality' will help

I don?t believe this article about some sort of summit at Balmoral. At all. However, if we take this doubtful premise as being true and Charles hopes that William and Kate are going to be the glue preventing other realms, especially in the Caribbean, from drifting away in future years, then he is seriously deluded. And I don?t believe he is.

The tide of history is against the Crown holding on to most of the realms.
Look at Barbados. Over 70 years of duty to the Crown and Commonwealth from Queen Elizabeth and visits and messages for decades from the BRF didn?t prevent that country from cutting ties with the Crown.

As for the Commonwealth as a whole it has many things going for it (and some against.) With the late Queen now gone as Ceremonial Head much sentimental attachment has dissipated and some nations in it will be naturally questioning its value in the future.

However, as long as advantageous trade links remain as well as funding from the  nations of the Commonwealth to the poorer ones in the form of schemes and grants for projects, infrastructure etc then most of the Commonwealth will hold on for as long as it suits them.

However China also offers ?seeming benefits? in the form of trade deals and loans  and the Commonwealth Secretariat in London will ignore that at its peril. Whatever, I believe the Commonwealth in another fifty years is very likely to be a very different beast to what it is now. And no ?star quality? from any royal is going to change that!

[wannable]

I totally forgot that the commonwealth is headless, like a headless chicken, every boss running around with no reporting to do to a head.  :sarcastic:

Their organizational chart has no head.

Come on know. With 21st century technology, anyone can recheck any dis or mis information.

[Curryong]

I totally forgot that the commonwealth is headless, like a headless chicken, every boss running around with no reporting to do to a head.  :sarcastic:

Their organizational chart has no head.

Come on know. With 21st century technology, anyone can recheck any dis or mis information.

Well, King Charles is not the ?Head? of the Commonwealth. His role within it is a purely Ceremonial one as his mother?s was. The Commonwealth is a completely voluntary organisation of 56 States/countries. There are no colonies as such and nobody has to report to any head honcho, because all the countries are independent, independent of each other and of Britain. Most of them are republics and have their own Presidents.

It hasn?t been the ?British? Commonwealth for a very long time. So I don?t know why you apparently believe I am spreading ?misinformation? as you put it. Who do you suggest should be ?Head of the Commonwealth?? A British royal? 

[wannable]

WHO is the Head of the Commonwealth?

[Curryong]

King Charles is the ceremonial Head of the commonwealth. That role gives him no powers. He was appointed by Commonwealth leaders, because his mother, a very old lady, asked them to. They respected her wishes. That won?t happen with Charles and William in his turn.

His Majesty King Charles III is Head of the Commonwealth.

The role:

is an important symbolic one (Symbolic, meaning no administrative or other powers.)
It has no maximum fixed term
It is not hereditary, and future Heads will be chosen by Commonwealth leaders.

[wannable]

Roles and duties
The head of the Commonwealth serves as a leader, alongside the Commonwealth secretary-general and Commonwealth chair-in-office. Although Charles III is king of 15 member-states of the Commonwealth, he does not have any constitutional role in any Commonwealth state by virtue of his position as head of the Commonwealth. He keeps in touch with Commonwealth developments through regular contact with the Commonwealth secretary general and the Secretariat, the Commonwealth's central organisation.

The head of the Commonwealth or a representative attends the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), held at locations throughout the Commonwealth. This is a tradition begun by Queen Elizabeth II at the suggestion of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1973,[when the CHOGM was first held in Canada. During the summit, the head of the Commonwealth has a series of private meetings with Commonwealth countries' heads of government, attends a CHOGM reception and dinner, and makes a general speech.

The head of the Commonwealth or a representative has also been present at the quadrennial Commonwealth Games. The Queen's Baton Relay, held prior to the opening of each Commonwealth Games, carries a message from the head of the Commonwealth to all Commonwealth Nations and territories.

Every year on Commonwealth Day, the second Monday in March, the head of the Commonwealth broadcasts a special message to the population of the Commonwealth; approximately 2.5 billion people. On the same day, the head attends an inter-denominational Commonwealth Day service, held at Westminster Abbey.

[wannable]

It behooves me to state the above, because IF a head of any organization has whatsoever little to no interest in the job, as I said in an earlier post ''the behind the scene'' and a meh attitude, which Charles is the opposite being a workaholic...he has proved and shown in the past 50 years of his great interest in every job he does.

[Curryong]

Yes, all the above is purely symbolic. It?s not an Empire we are are talking about here. Charles can?t give orders to Presidents or Prime Ministers in the Commonwealth. He can?t give orders for the realms to go to war on Britain?s behalf. He has no rights to interfere in the internal affairs of any independent Commonwealth Country.They are all independent of Britain. He has no power to order any country/State in the Commonwealth to hold a Commonwealth Games anywhere.

Charles occupies a ceremonial role. CEREMONIAL. Nobody reports to him asking him to organise the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Games (which is run by a Federation, or anything else. He turns up at CHOGM and at certain Commonwealth Games and appears in church in London on Commonwealth Day. Big Deal!

[wannable]

You are the one saying it's an empire, it is not, it's an organization with a structure.  He is the head, he has his role and duties as I posted.

He keeps in touch with Commonwealth developments through regular contact with the Commonwealth secretary general and the Secretariat, the Commonwealth's central organisation.

This is not my fault that has caused ''contention'' - source: Wikipedia, the original source: original and official Commonwealth website.

[Curryong]

You are the one saying it's an empire, it is not, it's an organization with a structure.  He is the head, he has his role and duties as I posted.

I?m not saying it?s an empire at all. I said the exact opposite in the first line I wrote of my post. Charles?s role is a symbolic one (symbolic of the past Empire the Commonwealth morphed into (in my lifetime.) And it is a purely ceremonial role with a few duties and no powers.

[wannable]

He keeps in touch with Commonwealth developments through regular contact with the Commonwealth secretary general and the Secretariat, the Commonwealth's central organisation.

As I said, my initial post about behind the scenes has to do with the above official quote, that triggered resentment. When it is said officially but is not included in any court circular, which since decades ago, royal watchers, royal historians and royal reporters call behind the scene work. I am certain all members of the RIF know this by now.

[Curryong]

 Before Charles got the role thanks to Mummy, there was a lot of unrest among Commonwealth leaders about this morphing into a hereditary role in the future. And it was emphasised at the time Charles was appointed that this role was and is not hereditary.

. Who told Prince Charles he could be Head of the Commonwealth?


?But the position of Head of the Commonwealth is not hereditary. There is no constitutional or statutory reason why Charles would take this role upon the Queen?s death. In fact, Charles has no more right to the leadership than any other head of state of the 53 Commonwealth nations.?

[Curryong]

He keeps in touch with Commonwealth developments through regular contact with the Commonwealth secretary general and the Secretariat, the Commonwealth's central organisation.

As I said, my initial post about behind the scenes has to do with the above official quote, that triggered resentment. When it is said officially but is not included in any court circular, which since decades ago, royal watchers, royal historians and royal reporters call behind the scene work. I am certain all members of the RIF know this by now.

Regular contact can mean anything. It could be a few documents sent out on matters of interest from the Commonwealth Office every two or three months. It could be once a month. I doubt it?s weekly and it certainly wouldn?t be daily. And receiving any document doesn?t mean that Charles has the power to interfere in any Commonwealth business. He doesn?t even have the power (by convention) to discuss, question and warn that the monarch has with a British Prime Minister. These are independent countries. Any seeming interference from Charles (however well meaning) on any dispute  between Commonwealth countries for example might well be taken amiss and complained about in those countries? Parliaments and Press.

[wannable]

I know the position is not hereditary.  I never said anything about that.  My initial post had to do with ''behind the scenes work''.

It doesn't matter what the regular contact ''form'' is, work is work.

[Curryong]

I know the position is not hereditary.  I never said anything about that.  My initial post had to do with ''behind the scenes work''.

It doesn't matter what the regular contact ''form'' is, work is work.

I think Charles has enough to do as a HOS in the UK without worrying about ?working? on any Commonwealth issues. This is an organisation which runs very efficiently and well without his assistance and has done so for many decades.

[wannable]

I disagree, but time will tell. The latest I've read is HMKCIII with his government are planning realm visits, trickle down to the other senior working royals too in order of importance.

[sara8150]

Charles summons William and Kate for extraordinary Balmoral summit | Royal | News | Express.co.uk

King Charles to hold royal summit with Kate and William to decide future of monarchy - Mirror Online

King Charles 'will hold urgent meeting with Princess Kate and Prince William to decide future of monarchy' | The Sun

[Curryong]

I disagree, but time will tell. The latest I've read is HMKCIII with his government are planning realm visits, trickle down to the other senior working royals too in order of importance.

Charles has made a lot of visits to realms of the Commonwealth as Prince of Wales, with and without Camilla. So have other senior royals. So did the late Queen. Making these sorts of visits, being shown the sights of interest to any tourists who would like to visit, being photographed with local politicians and sometimes making a couple of innocuous speeches, is normal for British royals. They are arranged by the Foreign Office/ Commonwealth office every two or three years or so.

These visits have nothing whatsoever to do with Charles being the Ceremonial Head of the Commonwealth. That role is in fact similar to being a Patron (figurehead) of one of his charities.

I?ve lived in a Commonwealth country (Australia) for 53 years, since 1970. I do know how things work in Australia in regard to the Ceremonial role of Head of Commonwealth here, and in NZ too, with regard to British royalty. Before 1970 I lived in England where I was born at the end of 1946, nearly 24 years, with long visits back to the UK with my husband in the 1980s and 1990s. So I know how royalty operates there as well.

[Curryong]

Charles summons William and Kate for extraordinary Balmoral summit | Royal | News | Express.co.uk

King Charles to hold royal summit with Kate and William to decide future of monarchy - Mirror Online

King Charles 'will hold urgent meeting with Princess Kate and Prince William to decide future of monarchy' | The Sun

Tabloids repeating what has been said in other tabloids doesn?t make it true. I do not believe in so called summits at Balmoral. I?ve got no doubt that Charles wants to remain head of whatever Commonwealth realms remain and so shore them up with lots of feel good (for royalty) visits in the next few years. It won?t change anything.

Fact. The overseas realms are independent.  If a Commonwealth country wishes to stop being a Realm what is Charles going to do? Send the British army in to take over, lol? Of course not. All he can do is accept it as the will of the people and Parliament of that realm. And that realm will then cease to have him as Head of State, and will instead be a republic, like the vast majority of other Commonwealth countries. And that will be so even if he and Camilla and William and Kate make 100 visits to each of the realms every year. (They won?t!)

[wannable]

We will get to know by Monday BST evening. Some RR's do believe there will be a 'briefing' rather than a summit.

[Curryong]

Majesty Magazine & Joe Little
@MajestyMagazine
To mark the start of #blackhistorymonth2023, the Prince and Princess of Wales will visit Cardiff on Tuesday to meet members of the Windrush generation and celebrate the work of diverse community groups in the area. Details of their engagements to follow.

Interesting that this should be happening considering how the last royal tour to the West Indies went down, with memories of the Windrush generation in mind. And the Jamaican govt intend to hold a referendum as early as next year as the first stage towards a republic.

Jamaica: King's coronation accelerates plans for Jamaican republic ? with referendum 'as early as 2024' | World News | Sky News

[wannable]

The road has been paved by King Charles III who a few months ago hosted and was hosted by UK Windrush people then, including their children. Like three generations. I recall he attended at least two events related. Also posted in the RIF at King Charles Board.

[Curryong]

The original Windrush generation who sailed from Jamaica to Britain and faced horrendous prejudice and discrimination is dying out now. Of course their families having settled in Britain are forgiving and conciliatory for the most part. That however does not mean that what they faced should be forgotten, and it has been acknowledged now by the British Govt authorities.

However, it is not forgotten in those Caribbean countries that have Charles III as their HOS at the moment. And political leaders there who are not only talking republics in the near future but the BRF role in the slave trade that brought their ancestors there in the first place. And they are not only talking apologies (not that they?re worth much) but reparations.

Good luck to Charles (let alone William)  in trying to hold realms there for very much longer.

[Nightowl]

Just how is Charles suppose to be held responsible for what happen by his ancestors decades/hundreds of years ago?  This is all about those that want one thing only....MONEY for they have found a way to try and get it by what someone else did way back when long before Charles was even born, let alone William.  I am NOT responsible for what any of my ancestors did a year ago or even a hundred years ago, I am only responsible for what I do with my life, not someone else's life.

Greed knows NO bounds anymore when it comes to some who want nothing but MONEY, I have a strong dislike for money, yet I understand it is what is needed to get things to make life a bit easier, remember I was married to a man how loved money more than any human being alive even his mother or wife and who made money his God, just like Trump......as he wants to be No. 1 again so he can rob the country like he did before.