Jakarta –
Across the Commonwealth lands – the lands where Charles was king – the debate over whether local peoples should remain part of the British Empire or become a republic continues, albeit with varying intensity.
In this article, several BBC correspondents expose the mood in the three countries where King Charles is still head of state – and explore the possibility of these countries breaking away from the monarchy.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
By Celestina Olulode
Spectators’ eyes are glued to the pitch during a women’s cricket match for the island of St Kitts against Nevis. The influence of Great Britain is still strong there, even in the choice of the national sport.
Saint Kitts and Nevis is an island nation located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It was here that the first British settlers settled in the Caribbean. But even after nearly 40 years of independence, there is still a debate about who this country is, and whether it should turn into a republic.
In the audience, the sound of chatter was occasionally interrupted by cheers and suggestions shouted at the players. During half-time, I asked people’s opinion.
Few are ready to voice their opinion, but those who do cannot yet make up their minds.
Sharlene Martin said she needed more information but wondered what the benefit of King Charles III being head of state would be: ‘China and Taiwan help us a lot more than Britain , so I do not know.”
As the sun set, I went to a nearby bar to talk to the locals.
Bar manager Julian Morton said the subject was a matter of national pride: “Being a republic shows we’re ready. So it tells the world we can mind our own business.”
Julian’s friend, Christopher Roberts, agreed. He told me that St. Kitts and Nevis is still trying to recover from the negative impact of the coronavirus. Thus, according to him, becoming a republic is not an urgent priority: “We just discussed it, just discussed in the street about it.”
Compared to other Caribbean countries like Barbados, Christopher sees Saint Kitts and Nevis as a “young independent nation” and therefore thinks change can take time.
Barbados, once dubbed “little Britain” becoming a republic in 2021, has given a boost to other Commonwealth member states.
But for a transition to happen here, the Constitution of St. Kitts and Nevis requires the people to vote for it in a referendum. In fact, of the eight remaining territories around the Caribbean, only Belize does not need a referendum. Instead, the decision will be made by its national assembly.
The obstacles to holding a referendum vary from country to country. In Saint Lucia, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Saint Kitts and Nevis, a referendum only requires a majority vote. But the transition could be more difficult in Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, where a two-thirds majority is required.
But even if a referendum takes place, the result will not necessarily be a republic. In 2009, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines held a referendum. Forty-five percent of voters voted to replace Queen Elizabeth II with a ceremonial president – less than two-thirds were needed.
So, as simple as it may seem, it is a complex issue that each region of the Caribbean deals with in its own way.
Australia
By Tiffany Turnbull
Walking the streets of Sydney, you would be hard-pressed to find a sign that Australia’s new king is about to be crowned.
Over the weekend, one person I spoke to admitted they had no idea when King Charles III was crowned. One student even said he didn’t know what the coronation was.
“I don’t care, it’s irrelevant,” was the honest response from 73-year-old Frank – a fairly accurate description of the general mood here.
Every monument in the country is lit purple and will be on Saturday night, but events commemorating the coronation are unlikely to be as festive.
And TV coverage of the event will be limited far from the treatment the royal wedding and the Queen’s funeral received.
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King Charles is not as popular as Queen Elizabeth II and his coronation comes at a time when Australia’s republican movement has been at its peak for decades.
Almost 25 years after the country voted to cut ties with the monarchy in a referendum, there is growing momentum to do it again.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a republic was “inevitable” and last year appointed a deputy minister for the republic – the first time in Australian history. In New Zealand, the story is the same – Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said this week he was a Republican supporter and believed the country would “ideally” leave the monarchy one day.
The role of the monarchy in Australia is purely ceremonial and people tell me that the country has long forged its own identity outside the shadow of Britain.
Others cite the long-term impact of colonization on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as a reason for cutting ties with the Kingdom.
“We are probably more anti-colonialist than we were,” says 17-year-old Estelle Peterson.
“Having the King of England here seems so strange,” added her friend Monika Januleviciute.
But the Republic of Australia is at least years away from becoming a reality.
The government will first organize a referendum on the recognition of indigenous peoples in the constitution.
And Australian opinion remains divided on how to appoint a head of state – should he be elected by the people, or appointed by parliament?
Importantly, recent opinion polls indicate that support for the republic is still below the standard needed to pass a referendum here. A majority of Australians must vote yes, and there must also be majority support in at least four of Australia’s six states.
Canada
By Jessica Murphy in Toronto
If there’s one phrase that can sum up what many Canadians think of King Charles, it’s “indifferent”.
And in general, while Canadians love Queen Elizabeth II, they don’t feel the same fondness for King Charles.
Opinion polls show that Canadians are increasingly interested in moving the country away from the monarchy.
Angus Reid’s latest poll, released in late April, indicates that a majority of Canadians – more than half – do not want the country to continue to be a constitutional monarchy for generations to come.
And two in five respondents said they don’t care about the upcoming coronation.
This lack of enthusiasm was reflected in the modest celebrations that Canada had planned. There will be an hour-long televised event, taking place in the capital city of Ottawa, and federal monuments illuminated with emerald green lights to mark the occasion.
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The king’s accession to the throne last year has only sparked debate over the country’s ties to the monarchy.
This is especially true in Quebec, where the institution of the monarchy is viewed more negatively than elsewhere – a sentiment linked to the province’s history as a French-speaking territory under British colonial rule.
Last December, Quebec passed a law making the oath of allegiance to the monarchy optional for MPs.
But all this does not mean that Canada will join the ranks of Barbados, Jamaica or Australia which have – or are holding – formal debates on the future of the monarchy.
Changing the current system would require the approval of the House of Commons and the Senate in Parliament, as well as the unanimous approval of all 10 provinces – something most political pundits see as an impossible hurdle.
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