Who will take over the Commonwealth after the Queen dies?
When the Queen dies, Prince Charles will accede to the throne. But you might be surprised to learn that this doesn’t necessarily mean he will also take control of the Commonwealth.
Senior officials are set to meet in London shortly for secret talks to decide who will take over. They have reportedly set up a “high level group” of seven leading figures to discuss “wider governance considerations” – in other words, to discuss the line of succession.
This group will then deliver their report to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London in April, which is believed to be the last such meeting the Queen will attend.
Her Majesty, who, after becoming the head of state for seven out of eight Commonwealth nations was made Head of the Commonwealth at her 1953 coronation, wants Prince Charles (the next in line to the throne) to succeed her.
However, the Head of the Commonwealth is not a hereditary position that will automatically pass to Charles, who will only be head of state in 15 of the 53 nations that make up the Commonwealth.
“I imagine the question of the succession, however distasteful it may naturally be, will come up,” a senior source told the BBC.
While many high-ranking Commonwealth figures believe there’s no realistic alternative to the Prince of Wales, there has been talk of electing a “ceremonial leader” to improve the Commonwealth’s democratic credentials.
One of the issues set to be discussed at the secret meeting is whether or not a one-off decision should be made either to appoint Prince Charles as Head of the Commonwealth, or to create a new process altogether, in which the British Monarch would automatically become Head of the Commonwealth.
“There are various formulas being played with,” the insider said. “Should it always be the heir to the throne or Prince Charles himself? Is it the person or the position?”
Tell us in the comments below, do you think Prince Charles should become Head of the Commonwealth when he becomes King?
Image: The Royal Family/Instagram.