Britain | Realms and republics

Will Charles III keep the Commonwealth going?

His mother’s favourite club will miss her

KIGALI, RWANDA - JUNE 24: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales departs the CHOGM opening ceremony at Kigali Convention Centre on June 24, 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales has attended five of the 24 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting meetings held since 1971: Edinburgh in 1997, Uganda in 2007, Sri Lanka in 2013 (representing The Queen), Malta in 2015 and the UK in 2018. It was during the UK CHOGM that it was formally announced that The Prince would succeed The Queen as Head of the Commonwealth. Leaders of Commonwealth countries meet every two years for the meeting which is hosted by a different member country on a rotating basis. (Photo by Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images)

When elizabeth ii inherited the throne in 1952, great swathes of the world map were bedecked in imperial red. Britain still ruled—or had a predominant influence over—some 50 dominions, colonies and protectorates, including at least 15 in Africa, more than a dozen in the Caribbean and a maritime gaggle in the Pacific.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Realms and republics”

Getting the job done: How Ukraine can win

From the September 17th 2022 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

Discover more

Flowers and Union Jack flags on a lectern where a citizenship ceremony.

Could you pass the British citizenship test?

If you’re a native-born Briton, almost certainly not

Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks with leaders from across the UK during the International Investment Summit in London, UK.

Blighty newsletter: Three takeaways from an interview with Sir Keir Starmer


Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech on stage during the International Investment Summit.

Sir Keir Starmer’s elevator pitch for investment

In an interview with The Economist, the prime minister sets out his stall


Alex Salmond went from the fringes to the mainstream and back again

The one-time figurehead of Scottish nationalism died on October 12th 2024

Britain’s obsession with baked beans

Health trends and gourmet beans are driving demand for other varieties