The King is head of state in 14 Commonwealth countries outside the UK, with public opinion on the monarchy varying among them.
Leaders of several Caribbean nations have said they plan to hold referendums on the matter in the coming years, while the monarchy doesn’t register on other countries’ political priorities.
The subject of reparations has also gained momentum as debates rages over whether countries should be held responsible for historical wrongs.
After the King was heckled by a senator in Australia, Sky News looks at where Charles is still head of state – and whether he is welcomed in those nations.
Antigua and Barbuda – Colonised in the 1600s, Antigua and Barbuda became a sovereign state in 1981. After Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, the country’s current prime minister Gaston Browne said he would hold a referendum on becoming a republic within three years.
Australia – While Australia voted to keep the monarchy in 1999, several prime ministers and politicians have since expressed support for a republic, with the role of assistant minister for the republic created in 2022. The current prime minister Anthony Albanese has said he would like to see Australia become a republic one day but ministers in his government have said a referendum is “not a priority”.
The Bahamas – First colonised in the 1600s, The Bahamas gained independence in 1973. A constitutional review body recommended maintaining the status quo in 2012 but acknowledged a republic would be “inevitable”. The country’s prime minister Philip Davis said after Queen Elizabeth II’s death that a referendum is “always” on the table.
Belize – The Belizean government ordered a constitutional review in 2022. Its prime minister Johnny Briceno said he will hold a referendum on the review’s recommendations, which are due to be delivered this year. The country was known as British Honduras while under the empire’s rule between 1862 and 1964. It gained full independence in 1981.
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Canada – While a growing number of Canadians do not want a foreign monarch, there is little political will for change. Canada‘s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in 2022 that while he was open to “strengthening” the country’s democracy, “Canadians are almost entirely preoccupied with the big issues we’re facing”. Canada became part of the British Empire in 1763.
Grenada – A referendum was held in 2018 to remove the King’s Privy Council as Grenada’s final court of appeal but it was rejected by voters. The country’s prime minister Dickon Mitchell said in 2023 that he hoped a transition to a republic would happen during his leadership. Grenada became a sovereign country in 1974 after around 200 years of control.
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Jamaica – Jamaica‘s ruling party has said it intended to hold a referendum on becoming a republic by 2025 – but local media reports have said this may be unlikely due to a planned general election. A British monarch ruled the country since it was colonised in 1655 until independence in 1962.
New Zealand – Polls in New Zealand have shown that there is not outright support for republicanism. Its former prime minister Chris Hipkins said in 2023 that ditching a monarch and “swapping out the governor general” was not “an urgent priority” while another ex-leader Jacinda Ardern said she would “encourage national debate” on the issue.
Papua New Guinea – There is no desire among politicians to make Papua New Guinea a republic. Its prime minister James Marape has said the country is “very accustomed to tradition, ceremony and hierarchical systems” and the monarchy reminds Papua New Guineans of its “traditional Chieftaincy systems which brought order, balance and stability”.
St Kitts and Nevis – The country’s prime minister Terrance Drew has been open about his desire to ditch the monarchy. He suggested in 2023 that St Kitts and Nevis, which became independent in 1983, was “not totally free” while the King was head of state, and promised to begin a public consultation on the transition to a republic.
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St Lucia – There have been calls for St Lucia to become a republic. Former prime minister Kenny Anthony said in 2021 that the country should “commence the process to repatriate our constitution to where it belongs, in the sovereign will of our people”. In 2022, the Earl and Countess of Wessex were met with protesters who demanded apologies and reparations for slavery.
St Vincent and the Grenadines – The country did hold a referendum in 2009 in which 45% of voters chose to replace Queen Elizabeth II with a ceremonial president but this fell short of the two-thirds majority required for it to pass. The St Vincent and the Grenadines prime minister Ralph Gonsalves said in 2022 that he would propose another referendum on the monarch as head of state.
Solomon Islands – There is no significant support for the Solomon Islands to become a republic and it is not a key political issue in the country. Britain started ruling the country in 1896. It gained full independence in 1978.
Tuvalu – The small Polynesian island of around 11,500 people came under British influence in the late 19th century. It became an independent state in 1978 but remained a constitutional monarchy with the British monarch as its head. In 1986 and 2008, islanders voted to keep this arrangement in place.