The King, the Royal Family and the Commonwealth

[Marengo]

The King, the Royal Family and the Commonwealth


Please use this thread to discuss issues relating to King Charles III and other members of the royal family in combination with the Commonwealth.

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You can find the previous thread about Queen Elizabeth II and the Commonwealth here.
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[Somebody]

Some people (see this short article in Dutch - and I also read something about a professor in the US whose remarks were so offense that they were removed from Twitter and their employer distanced themselves from her/him) think this is an excellent moment to call for reparation payments 'by the royal family'(???) and for getting rid of the British monarch (as head of state of their country).

I think it is in very poor taste...

 

[Arncliffe]

Australian attendees at the Funeral.

The new Australian PM advised this morning that the Governor-General and his wife, himself and his partner and the Australian rep in London and partner will be the official Australian party attending the Funeral.
PM advised that Australia is offering assistance to the Pacific Commonwealth leadership to attend.

 

[Somebody]

Antigua and Barbuda is planning a referendum within 3 years on whether to become a republic the prime minister announced.

 

[Alison H]

I should imagine that some of the other realms will too, but it was rather insensitive to announce it before the Queen's even been buried.

 

[BriarRose]

I spent part of my childhood growing up in Barbados, and my mother's family is from Hong Kong. My entire life when people in the U.S. bring up removing the Queen as head of state, they always seemed so shocked when I pointed out that the royals can't unilaterally remove themselves- the people are the only ones empowered to do so, and they could do so at any time. Until they do, the working royals have no choice but to continue their roles.

If any country wants to do so, by all means, do so. But there is no reason they have to make such announcements this week. They've had decades to hold such referendums; to act as though they are just empowered by EII's death is such blather.

 

[Durham]

Antigua and Barbuda is planning a referendum within 3 years on whether to become a republic the prime minister announced.

And how gentlemanly he is to announce it just at this time. Maybe a little pause might have been more respectful.

I've never understood why any post war independent Commonwealth country retained the monarchy anyway.

 

[Sister Morphine]

I would imagine by the time William becomes King, the Commonwealth won't really exist anymore, not really. Canada, New Zealand, and Australia might be all that remains by then. All the Caribbean countries will more than likely be republics at that point.

 

[Durham]

I would imagine by the time William becomes King, the Commonwealth won't really exist anymore, not really. Canada, New Zealand, and Australia might be all that remains by then. All the Caribbean countries will more than likely be republics at that point.

Most Commonwealth countries are already republics. India was the first. Some have their own indigenous monarchies like Malaysia, Brunei & Tonga.

The Commonwealth has grown in numbers recently.

 

[Hallo girl]

Most Commonwealth countries are already republics. India was the first. Some have their own indigenous monarchies like Malaysia, Brunei & Tonga.

The Commonwealth has grown in numbers recently.

You are correct, people confuse head of state with being a member of the commonwealth.

 

[Mbruno]

I would imagine by the time William becomes King, the Commonwealth won't really exist anymore, not really. Canada, New Zealand, and Australia might be all that remains by then. All the Caribbean countries will more than likely be republics at that point.

Even if they become republics, they can stay in the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth has 56 member states, the vast majority of which are already republics. Even former French and Portuguese colonies in Africa have joined the Commonwealth in recent years. I am pretty sure the Commonwealth will still exist by the time William is King, but, yes, there may be few countries left where he will be head of state.

 

[Blog Real]

What matters most to me is that England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, Australia and New Zealand continue with the monarchy.
But of course I stand for the continuity of the Commonwealth.

 

[Arncliffe]

Palace has extended an invitation to an extra 10 citizens per realm.

 

[noc]

And how gentlemanly he is to announce it just at this time. Maybe a little pause might have been more respectful.

I've never understood why any post war independent Commonwealth country retained the monarchy anyway.

There is something to be said about continuity, however these are very turbulent times. It appears the younger generations don't have the same interest as prior generations

 

[SirGyamfi1]

There is something to be said about continuity, however these are very turbulent times. It appears the younger generations don't have the same interest as prior generations

That’s true. But I also think that in the minds of others, Charles doesn’t command the same respect as the Queen.

 

[eya]

The poll was conducted by Roy Morgan yesterday after King Charles III was proclaimed as Australia's head of state


https://www.9news.com.au/national/q...rebublic/86b18290-80da-4513-9c93-77048602e8a6

 

[Sun Lion]

The poll was conducted by Roy Morgan yesterday after King Charles III was proclaimed as Australia's head of state


https://www.9news.com.au/national/q...rebublic/86b18290-80da-4513-9c93-77048602e8a6

Thanks eya, not a big sample, but reflecting the way things are here I think.

Many Australian media personalities have been sent to London, and are doing live broadcasts from there back to us, for many days now.

Some media professionals have choked-up/teared-up will broadcasting on tv/radio.

The Prime Minister has announced his government would not pursue a Referendum about an Australian republic at this time.

Having said for years no-one would make a move until the passing of The Queen, the republicans don’t seem to have been ready to seize the moment.

There seems to be genuine affection for “King Charles” … and a staggering amount of coverage.

I think some things pop up from the PR companies and personalities involved in this idea of becoming a republic, but they are really just too small.

There is no real support for it to happen, and some of the people involved aren’t really respected that much either, so that doesn’t help them.

If it ever happens, it won’t be anytime soon.

 

[Arncliffe]

Crikey.

FB is a good way of accessing Crikey.
It’s an Australian on line opinion site.
It’s anti-Establishment, anti-Monarchy and anti-Murdoch.
Most of its stories are pay walled.
Except:
15/9/22 The ABC has ...
and Lese-Majeste ...
and David Hurley
12/09/2022. Media Madness...
and The Queen is dead.
8/9/2022. So what now for the Governor-General...
With the Australian party and their guests on their way to London, their interactions will be closely watched by all.

 

[Purrs]

I should imagine that some of the other realms will too, but it was rather insensitive to announce it before the Queen's even been buried.

Canada will probably remain a realm for the rest of my life. (I'm 66) (and probably also remain part of the Commonwealth - I realize that these are 2 separate things.) To change Canada from being a realm with the Queen/King as our symbolic head would require amending our constitution. That would open up a can of worms no politician wants. In the 1990s, there were 2 failed referendums to amend our constitution and they were very contentious due to a number of issues (indigenous rights, role of Quebec, western Canadian alienation). Any attempts to change the status quo would exacerbate divisions in Canada and there is no currently no desire to change it.

Personally IMHO I'd prefer to have our symbolic head of state not be a monarch because the position is lifelong and merely due to birth (although I liked & very much respected HM the Queen.) IMHO, you are 'rolling the dice' you have just as much chance of getting a Duke of Windsor (who was ill suited & fortunately abdicated) as a Queen Elizabeth II (who did a tremendous job). (Yes I'm interested in the institution of royalty historically but I consider myself neither a royalist or a monarchist.)

If it were to change (which is highly unlikely for the foreseeable future) there would be questions as to if the symbolic head would be elected or appointed.

There is no desire to change our parliamentary system & not combine the actual head (Prime Minister, the leader of the ruling party) with the symbolic head (like the US President) because that concentrates the power too much in one person,

 

[Stefanie]

Will there still be a "Trooping the colour" and how will it
change under Charles III?

 

[FigTree]

Will there still be a "Trooping the colour" and how will it
change under Charles III?

Yes.

It won’t.

 

[VictoriaB]

Will there still be a "Trooping the colour" and how will it
change under Charles III?

It will look pretty much as it did this year when Prince Charles took the salute on behalf of the Queen. The only difference will be that he takes the salute himself as head of the armed forces.

There were Troopings before the Queen came to the throne and, presuming the monarchy continues, there will be Troopings after King Charles dies.

 

[Arncliffe]

The former PM of Australia, Paul Keating
is speculating that KCIII might renounce
being King of Australia.
Mr Keating is suggesting that the Royals
were disappointed that Australia voted
against becoming a republic in 1999.

 

[Mbruno]

The former PM of Australia, Paul Keating
is speculating that KCIII might renounce
being King of Australia.
Mr Keating is suggesting that the Royals
were disappointed that Australia voted
against becoming a republic in 1999.

Politicians say many insane things. And it is obvioulsy insane to believe them when they say it.

 

[muriel]

The former PM of Australia, Paul Keating
is speculating that KCIII might renounce
being King of Australia.
Mr Keating is suggesting that the Royals
were disappointed that Australia voted
against becoming a republic in 1999.

Politicians say many insane things. And it is obvioulsy insane to believe them when they say it.

@Mbruno: Well said.

I think it is even more true when dealing with a former PM who has been out of power for a long time and is probably looking to find ways to appear back in the news.

 

[eya]

Message from King Charles on the eve of a new year for the Canadians

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FlPUBw1XgAA1cW5?format=jpg&name=large

https://twitter.com/x/status/1608862726302085121

 

[Mbruno]

Unlike his late mother, King Charles III will not appear on Australian banknotes .


Note: King Charles III's effigy will still be on Australian coins though.

 

[wbenson]

Not a huge surprise. It was only the one banknote, and the Reserve Bank of Australia had been noncommittal since September.

Even in 1954, with the frenzy of the royal visit, Australia switched to putting Australians on most banknotes, and the position of the monarchy in Australia changed a lot over the last seven decades. George VI had been on all of them, but Elizabeth II was only on the £1 note (then $1 after decimalisation, and $5 after the $1 coin was introduced).

 

[Somebody]

I doubt they would have kept the Queen given that this was the only bank note left that had her image on it.

 

[Curryong]

https://www.perthnow.com.au/busines...ast-to-move-forward-in-indo-pacific-c-9616265

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong (who was born in Malaysia) stated in a speech that Britain must own its colonial past before it can move forward in the Indo-Pacific region.

Another example here of Australia forging a different path in its foreign relations. Any royal tour in the next few months may well bring this subject up again.

https://www.perthnow.com.au/busines...ast-to-move-forward-in-indo-pacific-c-9616265