LONDON: Prince Charles was approved as the successor to Britain's Queen Elizabeth as head of the Commonwealth at a meeting of the group’s heads of government in Windsor, west of London, yesterday, British media reported.
There had been calls for the role to be rotated around the 53 member-states, most of which are former British territories, but in recent days the queen, the British government and other leaders backed Charles.
The succession issue was due to be discussed at the final day of the meeting, when leaders travelled 30km outside London for private meetings at the queen’s Windsor Castle home.
The Commonwealth evolved out of the British Empire in the mid-20th century, and the queen has been its head since her reign began in 1952. Charles had long been expected to take on the role, although it is not strictly hereditary.
This week’s Commonwealth summit saw thousands of delegates from across the globe descend on London, debating issues such as the environment, women’s rights and trade.
Britain sought to use its hosting of the event as a chance to reinvigorate the loose alliance of countries, which have a combined population of 2.4 billion people, eyeing increased trade and global influence as it prepares to leave the EU.
But the summit was overshadowed by the embarrassing treatment of Caribbean migrants who came to Britain after World War II to help rebuild the country but have been caught up in a tightening of immigration rules.