In mid-January, Royal Central reported that King Charles III could soon be removed as monarch in one of the Realms in which he is head of state.
Andrew Holness, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, instructed his country’s ministers to “move ahead with speed” on bringing about the processes that would see the country transform from constitutional monarchy to republic.
But is this likely to happen, and if so, how soon could the changes come into force?
The simple answer is – yes – all the signs show that Jamaica is keen to remove The King as their head of state.
This should come as no surprise. The proposals have long been at the centre of discussions, with the Prime Minister raising the issue to the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, when they visited Jamaica in March 2022.
At the time, the Prime Minister was heard saying to Prince William: “We intend to attain, in short order, our development goals and fulfil our true ambitions and destiny as an independent, developed, prosperous country”.
Calls for Jamaica to become a republic have gained momentum over the past couple of years, with many of the country’s citizens hoping to follow in the footsteps of Barbados.
The then Prince Charles visited the Caribbean island in November 2021 when the country formally cut ties with the monarchy, becoming a republic.
The Royal Family have long adopted a policy of support toward countries who express their desires to become a republic and detach themselves from British rule.
Supporters of a republic say the monarchy is a link to the colonial past, and they deserve a leader who does not live thousands of miles away.
During his visit to Jamaica in 2022, Prince William said that the monarchy “supports with pride and respect your decisions about your future”, which, seems to fall in line with the official stance of the institution.
It has long been known that many countries had been waiting for a change in monarch before serious consultations began about the future of the constitutional monarchy.
With the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III, more countries will now be considering their options.
Royal Central will keep you up to date with all the news and updates from the legislative bodies of the various Realms on the issue.
