The King, the Royal Family and the Commonwealth

[Curryong]

The British monarch is not the head of state of St Kitts & Nevis. Their own king is their head of state so they're already free of the British monarchy & their past colonial status. Their PM is just making things up.

It was this quote that got me somewhat confused. The statement ‘their own King’ read to me that Durham had something like the King of Tonga in mind, that is, a native-born head, not King Charles, who happens to be the British monarch as well.

St Kitts can hardly be ‘free of the British monarchy’ if King Charles is their Head of State, especially as 99% of his duties are assumed by the Governor General there. He doesn’t live in St Kitts any more than the King of Australia lives in my country, Australia. He resides and spends the vast majority of his time in the British Isles.

 

[Denville]

but there is nothing to stop that changing is there? If a realm wants to become a republic, or have a different head of state it is up to them to work this out.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

It was this quote that got me somewhat confused. The statement ‘their own King’ read to me that Durham had something like the King of Tonga in mind, that is, a native-born head, not King Charles, who happens to be the British monarch as well.

St Kitts can hardly be ‘free of the British monarchy’ if King Charles is their Head of State, especially as 99% of his duties are assumed by the Governor General there. He doesn’t live in St Kitts any more than the King of Australia lives in my country, Australia. He resides and spends the vast majority of his time in the British Isles.

Thank you for explaining. It seems you and Durham were talking at cross-purposes. He was discussing the fact that the St Kitts and Nevis monarchy is in domestic and international law a separate institution from the British monarchy and by no means subject to it, and the arrangement is unaffected by the same person holding the office of St Kitts and Nevis monarch and the office of British monarch (in the same way that, if Charles were hypothetically elected to the office of president of the United States of America, that would not make the USA in any way part of the British monarchy or subject to it as an institution). You were discussing the fact that the St Kitts and Nevis monarch is an individual who in daily experience lives in Britain, makes many more public appearances in Britain and is culturally much more identified with Britain than with St Kitts and Nevis.

 

[Curryong]

I’m not sure whether this is the right thread, but as this is the first King’s Birthday Honours list (Aus) here goes!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06...ustralia-tim-winton-barry-humphries/102454336

The well known author Tim Winton has been honoured, as has the recently deceased, and King Charles favourite, Barry Humphries, who receives a very rare honour.

This was the first year women outnumbered men on the King's Birthday honours list, which included entertainers, artists, Indigenous elders, scientists, environmentalists and other notable Australians.

Also

Darwin-based Shellie Morris, one of Australia's most recognisable Indigenous singer-songwriters, was appointed an officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her contributions to music and Aboriginal communities.

After being raised by an adopted family in Sydney, she moved to the territory as a young woman where she learnt to sing in 20 Aboriginal languages.

"It's changed my personality dramatically, finding my culture and my languages," she said.

 

[AC21091968]

Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews have announced this morning that the plan to host for the 2026 Commonwealth Games have been cancelled due to financial constraints. According to this live feed by the ABC, the most of states are not keen in making a bid for the game.

Victoria axes Commonwealth Games plans due to financial constraints, Daniel Andrews confirms — as it happened
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed the state will no longer host the Commonwealth Games in 2026.
Look back on our coverage as it happened.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07...h-games-announcement-daniel-andrews/102613156

 

[iceflower]

King Charles shared his Commonwealth Day message 2024 today:

 

[Alison H]

Canadian parliament breaks into God Save the King

MPs vote against removing oath and refuse to be silenced by speaker

www.telegraph.co.uk

Canadian MPs have defeated a Private Member's Bill to remove the oath of allegiance to the King. MPs then sang "God Save The King". .

 

[Anthony Claydon]

Anne Twomey† "The States, the Commonwealth and the Crown—the Battle for Sovereignty*"

Papers on Parliament No. 48 January 2008 Prev | Contents | Next Federation and State Sovereignty Before the Australian states were even formed, the battle for sovereignty had already begun. Some of the framers wanted a system akin to the Canadian one, where the Governor-Gen

www.aph.gov.au

Discussion on Commonwealth v States and the Monarchy. Australia is the only genuine federation of the British Realms. Canada's provinces only have Lt Governers, which are effectively appointed by the PM, and have no direct access to the Monarch. Whereas Australian states only handed enumerated rights to the Commonwealth, so each retains sovereignty.

In 1930, the Commonwealth and States stalemated over allowing the states direct access to the Monarch, so although the Queen was advised by Aus PM for Commonwealth issues, until 1986 Aus states Premier advised British Ministers to advise the Queen as Queen of the UK. The issues in 1930 was that it was viewed that allowing the Premier's advising the Monarch would create separate Realms. In 1986, when the Australia Act was introduced the question if separate realms were created was ignored, despite the British side indicated that was their impression.

So is there, one realm with shared sovereignty and different advisers, or seven different realms, has never been formally answered.