The Commonwealth and Commonwealth Realms post Elizabeth

[Iluvbertie]

The Queen actually doesn't chair the meetings now. In fact at the last one she left before the meetings really started - she was there for the opening and left Australia on either the second or third day.

She hosts the opening meeting and the banquet but doesn't attend the meetings or chair them.

e.g. 2011 she attended the opening ceremony and banquet on 28th October and left Australia on the 29th after attending a BBQ that wasn't linked to CHOGM. CHOGM proper took place between the 29th and 30th while she was flying home.

 

[Dman]

Gambia quits the Commonwealth-
Gambia quits the Commonwealth | World news | The Guardian

 

[NGalitzine]

Gambia quits the Commonwealth-
Gambia quits the Commonwealth | World news | The Guardian

I am afraid the dear Sheikh Doctor General President Dictator of Gambia will not be greatly missed at the upcoming Commonwealth meeting. One less dictator to give foreign aid to as far as I am concerned. I do feel sorry for his people though as his rule does not seem to have done much to improve their lot in life.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Gambia quits the Commonwealth-
Gambia quits the Commonwealth | World news | The Guardian

From the BBC

BBC News - The Gambia to withdraw from Commonwealth

 

[An Ard Ri]

Commonwealth Youth Award winners at Buckingham Palace

Commonwealth Youth Award winners at Buckingham Palace - YouTube

 

[muriel]

As we saw recently in Sri Lanka, I think you will now see Charles pay increasing attention to matters relating to the Commonwealth. I suspect, for the foreseeable future, at least one of the 2 overseas tours that C&C undertake annually, will be to a Commonwealth region

Apart from some of the realms (Aus?), I would be surprised if there was much change in the composition of the Commonwealth following the death of QE2

 

[Dman]

From what I've seen and read, Charles & Camilla and William & Catherine attention is very much on the Commonwealth.

I do see a great debate about the future of the Commonwealth Countries after The Queen's passing. I think the new faces of the Monarchy will have to work hard to at least try and help keep things together.

 

[muriel]

I do see a great debate about the future of the Commonwealth Countries after The Queen's passing. I think the new faces of the Monarchy will have to work hard to at least try and help keep things together.

I think the debate may be in some of the realms, but the larger Commonwealth, IMO, will remain intact. Even the realms that choose to not have Charles as their head of state will probably continue in the Commonwealth.

 

[MARG]

I think you are right. I don't see any mass exodus from the Commonwealth itself because there is too much too lose for many countries . . in fact I would say most countries.

As to whether or not the position of 'Head' will devolve to Charles then William, that remains to be seen. However, most members are somewhat pragmatic and would see the politicking and election required for a replacement as time consuming, open to corruption and worst of all . . . expensive! Basically, if it 'aint broke, don't fix it'.

 

[Iluvbertie]

As we saw recently in Sri Lanka, I think you will now see Charles pay increasing attention to matters relating to the Commonwealth. I suspect, for the foreseeable future, at least one of the 2 overseas tours that C&C undertake annually, will be to a Commonwealth region

Apart from some of the realms (Aus?), I would be surprised if there was much change in the composition of the Commonwealth following the death of QE2

No one I know has ever suggested that Australia should leave the Commonwealth - become a republic yes but like the majority of the Commonwealth a republic within the Commonwealth - assuming the rest of the Commonwealth allows us to stay if we become a republic. As a realm membership is automatic but once a country becomes a republic the rest of the Commonwealth has to approve the continuing membership.

 

[wyevale]

I [for one] shall be writing to the Secretary General of the Commonwealth demanding the expulsion/suspension of Uganda unless and until it annuls the barbaric law {against a section of its own populace} signed by its President yesterday.

This persecution of LGBT people is an outrage, and the law is an invitation to murder..

 

[wartenberg7]

I´m in need of a commonwealth-constitution-expert!
My question is about royal titles of the royal family in the 15 Commonwealth countries the Queen is head of state of; some years ago I watched an interview of an Commonwealth constitutionalist who stated that Camilla couldn´t simply be ignored becoming Queen because the wife of the british monarch was automatically Queen as soon as the King would ascend the throne. If there were plans to style her something like "Princess Consort" (because of her "controversial background"), all these 15 countries would also first to be consulted to agree on that or renounce it. Otherwise she would certainly be Queen (perhaps not the "Queen of New Zealand, Australia etc., but still the Queen, in the sense of wife-of-the-king).
Strictly this would mean that the D o Edinb. was "Philip Mountbatten" in the Commonw. countries his wife is head of state of and not Prince Philip... (but that´s, as we know, not the case!).
As one poster stated before, consorts wouldn´t hold any title in Australia, for instance, as they don´t have a constitutinal role in the country, this seems to be a contradiction of what the constitutionalist said above?!
Anyone knowing the truth?

 

[Ish]

I´m in need of a commonwealth-constitution-expert!
My question is about royal titles of the royal family in the 15 Commonwealth countries the Queen is head of state of; some years ago I watched an interview of an Commonwealth constitutionalist who stated that Camilla couldn´t simply be ignored becoming Queen because the wife of the british monarch was automatically Queen as soon as the King would ascend the throne. If there were plans to style her something like "Princess Consort" (because of her "controversial background"), all these 15 countries would also first to be consulted to agree on that or renounce it. Otherwise she would certainly be Queen (perhaps not the "Queen of New Zealand, Australia etc., but still the Queen, in the sense of wife-of-the-king).
Strictly this would mean that the D o Edinb. was "Philip Mountbatten" in the Commonw. countries his wife is head of state of and not Prince Philip... (but that´s, as we know, not the case!).
As one poster stated before, consorts wouldn´t hold any title in Australia, for instance, as they don´t have a constitutinal role in the country, this seems to be a contradiction of what the constitutionalist said above?!
Anyone knowing the truth?

The only person who has any titles in the other Realms is the monarch. Everyone else uses their British titles by courtesy. The DoE continues to be the DoE not because he holds the title in any other realm but because the other realms recognize his British titles. In some realms there is an official royal family that extends beyond the monarch, while in other realms there is not.

 

[wartenberg7]

The only person who has any titles in the other Realms is the monarch. Everyone else uses their British titles by courtesy. The DoE continues to be the DoE not because he holds the title in any other realm but because the other realms recognize his British titles. In some realms there is an official royal family that extends beyond the monarch, while in other realms there is not.

So, this "expert" about the consultation of Commonwealth-country-governments about the "Queen-title" concerning the Dss o Cornwall was wrong?

 

[Ish]

So, this "expert" about the consultation of Commonwealth-country-governments about the "Queen-title" concerning the Dss o Cornwall was wrong?

I wouldn't say that they're wrong, but I also wouldn't say that they're right.

There is an assumption that when you have a King who is in a non-morganatic marriage then his wife is a Queen. Therefore, it could be assumed that when Charles is King of New Zealand, for example, his wife will be Queen of New Zealand. This is an assumption, though, as there isn't any established precedent within the realms. There hasn't been a "King of New Zealand" before though; prior to HM's reign, the monarch didn't use individual titles in each of the realms.

If the Realms decide that they wish to recognize the king's consort with a title then it won't be as easy as people think for Camilla to be Princess Consort (and even if they don't, it isn't an easy thing even just in Britain).

Camilla's future titles in the realms are not comparable to her current titles or to the titles of other royals (othe than HM), including the DoE, in the realms though. The Realms only grant titles to the monarch and possibly the wife of the monarch. They recognize other British titles by courtesy and may consider members of the BRF to also be members of their own royal family (or they may not). The DoE's titles now are not automatic titles granted to the consort of a Queen, they're titles that were granted to him specifically.