The Commonwealth of Nations was born out of the slow disintegration of the British Empire, which covered a fifth of the world’s surface at its peak in the late 19th century. “It is a final step to complete the circle of independence to become a truly sovereign nation.”

“This is not an act of hostility, or any difference between Antigua and Barbuda and the monarchy,” Gaston Browne, prime minister of the Caribbean nation, told ITV News. One Commonwealth realm, however, also announced its intention to hold a referendum on whether to remove the British monarch as its head of state. ( Here’s what happens now that Queen Elizabeth II has passed.) In the days after the queen’s death, the leaders of those nations-including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand- issued proclamations declaring their loyalty to Elizabeth’s heir, Charles III, as their official head of state. The death of Queen Elizabeth II set into motion a historic transition of power-not just in Great Britain but in 54 countries across the world that maintain ties to the royal family as members of the Commonwealth of Nations, an international organization composed mainly of former British colonies.Ĭhange was felt most keenly among the 14 members known as Commonwealth realms, which still recognize the British monarch as their head of state.

What is the british commonwealth