Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London: April 16-20, 2018


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The Queen has hosted the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Buckingham Palace as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting:

The Queen enjoyed the sunshine on the lawn of Buckingham Palace as plans were unveiled for the Commonwealth Walkway:

Almost 92-years-young and looking as great as ever.
 
Today at Buckingham Palace, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is received in audience by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Via Canadian Prime minister
 
What can one say? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be in show business. :flowers: :cool: ;) ? He is adorably impressive.
I think the Queen thinks so, too. ;)
 
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Yesterday I gave a list of the number of Commonwealth related engagements carried out so far this week. To qualify for this list the engagement has to have the term Commonwealth in there somewhere or involved a Head of a Commonwealth Government. That means that the Malaria conference doesn't qualify as there is no use of the term 'Commonwealth'.

This is the update to the 18th April

The Queen - 5
Charles - 8
Camilla - 3
William - 9
Harry - 8
Andrew - 8
Anne - 4

Meanwhile Edward finally left Australia on the evening of the 18th April.

Charles, Andrew, Sophie, Anne, Birgitte, the Duke of Kent and Alexandra have all underataken non-CHOGM related engagements over the last three days.
 
Articles from the Telegraph:

Prince Charles would be a worthy successor as head of Commonwealth - Telegraph View
Some argue that the Commonwealth should be separated from the Royal family, so that it might become more “democratic” and “relevant”. Practically, however, that would mean electing a politician with a partisan agenda, and with a profile to raise. The world has more than enough politicians, and Prince Charles has no need to raise his profile. No one is better placed than him to take on the role.
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Theresa May to tell the Queen today that Britain will commit to 'sustaining the Commonwealth' - Telegraph
The Prime Minister will thank the Queen at Buckingham Palace for her “service, dedication and constancy” to the Commonwealth as the biennial heads of government meeting gets underway in earnest.

She will say: "T​his week you have opened your homes to us – here in London and in Windsor. Over many years you have been the Commonwealth's most steadfast and fervent champion

“You have been true to the deepest values of the Commonwealth – that the voice of the smallest member country is worth precisely as much as that of the largest; that the wealthiest and the most vulnerable stand shoulder to shoulder​.

“You have seen us through some of our most serious challenges. And we commit to sustaining this Commonwealth, which you have so carefully nurtured.”
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Trudeau should be in show business.
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He CERTAINLY thinks he is .. as for 'adorably impressive'.. HARDLY, many regard him as a laughing stock, and an embarrassment to Canada.. [look up his absurd antics during the recent visit to India..]
 
wyevale said:
He CERTAINLY thinks he is .. as for 'adorably impressive'.. HARDLY, many regard him as a laughing stock, and an embarrassment to Canada.. [look up his absurd antics during the recent visit to India..]
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Still miles ahead of Steven Harper or the current CPC head Andrew Scheer
 
So the Prince of Wales WILL be the next head of the Commonwealth...

It is INCONCEIVABLE that HMQ would have made such a speech without it already being a 'done deal'...
 
Gawin said:
Queen publicly states Charles should be next Head of the Commonwealth:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/948341/royal-news-queen-prince-charles-head-of-commonwealth
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It is surprising that the Queen has now publicly stated her support for the PoW to succeed her as Head of the Commonwealth. To me, it suggests that opposition to Charles taking over that role is actualy more widespread than previously thought to the point that the Queen felt she had to intervene personally.
 
wyevale said:
So the Prince of Wales WILL be the next head of the Commonwealth...

It is INCONCEIVABLE that HMQ would have made such a speech without it already being a 'done deal'...
Click to expand...

Yes, I hoped he would be! There’s no one (that I know of) more experienced and ready to take on the mantel of being head of this great family of nations.
 
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Yes, I think it's practically a done deal, bar some unexpected change of heart.

What a wonderful display of pomp and pageantry we got at BP today. Very impressive!
 
Would love to know where people have been able to watch this as I have seen nothing other than a few updates on the DM.
 
Dman said:
Yes, I hoped he would be! There’s no one (that I know of) more experienced and ready to take on the mantel of being head of this great family of nations.
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The vast majority of the Commonwealth countries are republics. Only a small minority of them are still bound to the Crown and even some of those (like Australia, New Zealand or Jamaica) might conceivably become republics during Charles' reign. There is no justification then for Charles to succeed her mother automatically as Head of the Commonwealth. In fact, a rotating, elected head with a fixed term may be better to bring the Commonwealth countries together in the future.

Many posters claim here that Charles will slim down and modernize the monarchy. It seems to me that nothing says slimming down and modernizing more than turning the British monarchy into a normal European monarchy as opposed to the imperial monarchy of the Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian ages, which the position of Head of the Commonwealth still signifies.

Iluvbertie said:
Would love to know where people have been able to watch this as I have seen nothing other than a few updates on the DM.
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Incidentally, I happen to be in Western Canada this week and I am watching it right now on the Canadian TV (CBC) news channel. Other private and local channels are also reporting it. I am pretty sure it must be on Australian TV too.
 
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wyevale said:
He CERTAINLY thinks he is .. as for 'adorably impressive'.. HARDLY, many regard him as a laughing stock, and an embarrassment to Canada.. [look up his absurd antics during the recent visit to India..]
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He's very unprofessional IMO and I think (living close to and knowing quite a few Canadians) from my point of view that there are many, many Canadians who feel the same. He's trying to get by on youth and charm, but his cutesy act is just ridiculous for a head of state. And I'll never forgive him for snubbing the Belgian king and queen on their recent visit. Highly unprofessional and his antics and camera mugging make it so I have no respect for him.
 
Mbruno said:
The vast majority of the Commonwealth countries are republics. Only a small minority of them are still bound to the Crown and even some of those (like Australia, New Zealand or Jamaica) might conceivably become republics during Charles' reign. There is no justification then for Charles to succeed her mother automatically as Head of the Commonwealth. In fact, a rotating, elected head with a fixed term may be better to bring the Commonwealth countries together in the future.
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Exactly, I agree with this. In fact, I think that rotation could include politicans and members of the Roy family. Everyone always talks about the Prince of Wales, but I feel like The Earl of Wessex has shown the same amount of commitment.
 
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Iluvbertie said:
Would love to know where people have been able to watch this as I have seen nothing other than a few updates on the DM.
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You can watch entire event via The Royal Family's Facebook page.
 
There was NO question of an 'automatic' succession.. and IF a majority agrees on some other system, or someone other than the Prince of Wales as head, then SO be it. But that doesn't look likely now...
The reality is that NO candidate has the profile of the PoW, nor does ANY politician [amongst the LEGION possibilities] have either the time or longevity of 'office' required to network amongst the member nations, in the way the POW does and has done for DECADES.
Mr Modi will be an 'ex' leader of India one day , Mr Trudeau 'ex' of Canada.. Would they THEN have the 'profile' needed ?
Would they even want to do it ? Most 'ex' leaders Politicians spend the rest of their careers either trying [desperately] to regain office, or in business 'feathering their nests' for themselves and their families...

The PoW will provide continuity of purpose - Geo Vl >ER ll >CH lll [imo], but it is for the assembled leaders to ultimately decide.
 
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monica_ said:
You can watch entire event via The Royal Family's Facebook page.
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Thank you.

That is why I can't watch it.

As my computer is set up as a 'work computer' I can't access Facebook.
 
Missy- said:
He's very unprofessional IMO and I think (living close to and knowing quite a few Canadians) from my point of view that there are many, many Canadians who feel the same. He's trying to get by on youth and charm, but his cutesy act is just ridiculous for a head of state. And I'll never forgive him for snubbing the Belgian king and queen on their recent visit. Highly unprofessional and his antics and camera mugging make it so I have no respect for him.
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He's not the head of state. He's the head of government. The Queen is our head of state, and her proxy, the Governor General, met the Belgian King and Queen as is proper.

Speaking as a Canadian, focusing on issues with his style is facile when there are legitimate reasons to critique his substance (chief among them dichotomy between words and actions in regards to the First Nations and veterans). With that said, half of the Canadians who hate him do so because he's PET's son, which is a ridiculous reason.

Turning to the Queen's speech this morning, I saw video of the moment when she plugged for Charles, and they showed a shot of Charles. My heart went out to him because he looked like I feel every time I'm confronted by the looming loss of my grandmother.
 
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Dman said:
Yes, I hoped he would be! There’s no one (that I know of) more experienced and ready to take on the mantel of being head of this great family of nations.
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Agree. I think she just made that final push. I mean who would dare go against that statement? Even if I didn't want Charles I likely would just shut my trap.
 
Thanks for the links and updates!

It was surprising to see The Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent attending some of the events.
 
wyevale said:
So the Prince of Wales WILL be the next head of the Commonwealth...

It is INCONCEIVABLE that HMQ would have made such a speech without it already being a 'done deal'...
Click to expand...

Well, this man seems to agree with you:

Dickie Arbiter @RoyalDickie
I don't believe for a moment #TheQueen would have hinted about her wish for #ThePrinceofWales succeeding her as #HeadoftheCommonwealth without first having been given a clear indication by Commonwealth leaders that it was their wish for him to do so:
https://twitter.com/x/status/986997155717173249

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Articles from the BBC:

Commonwealth meeting: Queen hopes Prince Charles will succeed her - BBC News
Analysis: fait accompli?
By James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent

In theory, the decision that the Prince of Wales should succeed the Queen as head of the Commonwealth is entirely up to the Commonwealth heads of government. It is not an hereditary role.

Yet today we saw the culmination of a concerted operation by the British government and royal establishment to present this decision as a fait accompli against which it would be almost impossible to argue.

So, barring unforeseen objections, the Prince of Wales looks likely to succeed the Queen as head of the Commonwealth. But note this: the government leaders could have decided that the organisation should always be led by the British head of state, whoever he or she may be.

That, however, I am told, is not going to happen. They will back Prince Charles for now but they will not write a blank cheque to the British royal family in perpetuity. In other words, if the Duke of Cambridge wants the job one day, he is going to have to work for it like his father.
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Read James Landale's full blog post about it here:
'No other options' for Commonwealth head? - BBC News
India is a key and growing player in the Commonwealth, one of its largest economies with almost half its population. So its voice matters.

And insiders say that India is onside. The Queen did not hold a private audience with Mr Modi on Thursday and host him for dinner for nothing.

Second, the Queen herself has played a significant role. At the last Commonwealth summit in Malta in 2015, she made her views very clear, saying she could not "wish to have been better supported and represented in the Commonwealth than by the Prince of Wales who continues to give so much to it with great distinction".
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The Queen and Prince Charles have hosted a lunch for Commonwealth leaders at Buckingham Palace as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London:

The Queen has hosted New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford at Buckingham Palace:
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Live coverage of the dinner:
 
This what I like...Live Coverage of the Arrivals.
 
Seeing Anne wearing the Festoon i just realized it was a TIARA NIGHT !!!!!
 
The York girls not wearing tiaras.
 
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