Despite the three weeks of Royal Mourning, the new King has been keeping a very busy schedule, settling into his new role.
And if on Saturday His Majesty granted audiences to the heads of many of the state’s most important institutional organs, Sunday was dedicated to the Commonwealth.
King Charles opened the doors of his new office, Buckingham Palace, to many authorities from the group of countries that make up one of Queen Elizabeth’s most impactful projects.
The first person to enter Buckingham Palace was Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland, who is the current Secretary General of the Commonwealth. The Baroness has been holding this role since the 1st of April 2016; she is the 6th Secretary General and the first woman to hold the post.
The King was then joined by Queen Camilla, and the royal couple welcomed some high commissioners representing the Realms of the Commonwealth, which means that the nations share the same head of state.
There are currently 14 Realms in the Commonwealth aside from the UK: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
Because the audiences were not open to cameras, it is not known if representatives for all fourteen nations were present.
Contrary to the Crown, the title of head of the Commonwealth is not inherited. Charles got an unanimous vote to succeed his mother during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that took place in London in 2018.
The fact that he held these two meetings so soon after his ascension to the throne is a clear indication of the regard he holds for the institution of the Commonwealth and his plans to continue his mother’s legacy by also making it a priority.
