In most Commonwealth realms – countries in which Charles is king – the debate over transition to a republic is a live issue, albeit to varying degrees.
Here, JEE News correspondents describe the mood in a selection of nations where King Charles is still head of state – and assess the chances of those countries replacing the monarchy at any time.
St. Kitts and Nevis
In this cricket match, the eyes of the spectators are fixed on the pitch. It’s a clash between local rivals, as the women’s teams from the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis go head-to-head. British influence is strong here as far as the choice of national sport is concerned.
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a dual island nation located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It was where English colonists first settled in the Caribbean. But almost 40 years after independence, a debate continues about the nation’s identity, and whether it should transition to a republic.
In the spectator’s stands, the low-level chatter is interrupted and words of advice are given to the players. During lulls in the game I proceed to ask people for their opinions.
Few are willing to share their views, but those who do are inconsistent.
Charlene Martin says she wants more information but questions the benefit of King Charles III as head of state: “The Chinese and Taiwan look after us more than England, so I don’t know.”
Before sunset, I head to a local bar to chat with more locals. Manager Julian Morton says it’s a matter of national pride: “Going to the Republic says we’ve arrived. So it tells the rest of the world we can take care of our own affairs.”
Julian’s friend Christopher Roberts agrees but tells me that St. Kitts and Nevis is still trying to recover from the negative effects of the coronavirus. So he doesn’t see becoming a republic as a top priority: “We’re just talking about it, talking on the street.”
Compared to other Caribbean countries such as Barbados, Christopher sees St. Kitts and Nevis as a “young independent nation,” and so he thinks change may take some time.
Barbados, once dubbed “Little England”, made the move in 2021, renewing momentum for other jurisdictions to follow.
But the constitution of St. Kitts and Nevis requires the people to vote it in a referendum for the transfer to take place here. Indeed, of the remaining eight territories around the Caribbean, only Belize would not require a referendum. Instead, the decision will be made by its National Assembly.
The obstacles that need to be overcome in the referendum differ from country to country. Referendums in Saint Lucia, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Saint Kitts and Nevis require a simple majority of voters to pass. But in Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a transfer may be more difficult to obtain, as a two-thirds majority is required.
But it’s not always a done deal. In 2009, a referendum was held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Forty-five percent of voters chose a ceremonial president to replace Queen Elizabeth II – well short of the two-thirds required.
So, although a seemingly simple question, these are detailed issues that each Caribbean region is grappling with in its own way.
Australia
Walking the streets of Sydney, you’d struggle to find a sign that heralds the crowning of Australia’s new king.
A week later, I spoke to the same person who admitted that he didn’t know when the coronation was. One student admitted he didn’t know what it was.
“I don’t care, it’s irrelevant,” was the clear assessment of Graham, 73 – a fairly accurate picture of the general mood here.
Signs around the country will be lit up purple on Saturday night, but events to mark the occasion seem subdued and sparse.
And exclusive television coverage of the event is limited – a far cry from the wall-to-wall treatment royal weddings and Queen’s funerals receive.
King Charles is not as popular as Queen Elizabeth II and his coronation comes at a time when Australia’s republican movement has been gaining ground for decades.
Almost 25 years after the country voted against severing ties with the monarchy in a referendum, momentum is building for another move.
Prime Minister Anthony Albany has previously said a republic is “inevitable” and last year appointed a junior minister for a republic – a historic first. It’s a similar story in nearby New Zealand – Prime Minister Chris Hopkins said this week that he is a republican and believes the country will one day “ideally” leave the monarchy.
Here in Australia, the monarchy has a purely ceremonial role and people tell me that the country has long carved out its identity outside of Britain’s shadow.
Others cite the lasting effects of colonization on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as a reason for severing ties.
“We’re probably more anti-colonial than ever,” says 17-year-old Estelle Patterson.
“It’s very strange to have an English monarch here,” added her friend Monica Janoleviciot.
