Prince Charles will replace the Queen as head of Commonwealth

World leaders have agreed to Prince Charles becoming the next leader of the Commonwealth after the Queen.

Commonwealth presidents and prime ministers have decided Charles will succeed the Queen and lead the global institution that has a combined population of 2.4 billion.

They confirmed the decision in a statement after the meeting on Friday afternoon.

In their leaders' statement, the 53 member countries said: "We recognise the role of the Queen in championing the Commonwealth and its peoples.

The Queen with Prince Charles at the 2017 Braemar Gathering in Scotland 
Getty Images

"The next head of the Commonwealth shall be His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales."

The Queen had made a personal appeal to world leaders on Thursday to choose her son for the role.

Queen welcomes Commonwealth leaders at dinner

1/16

During the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting she told them it was her "sincere wish" that the family of nations would one day decide the prince should carry on the Commonwealth work started by her father King George VI.

The leaders came to their decision during discussions held at their retreat, at Windsor Castle, where informal talks are held without aides or advisers present.

The Queen, pictured at the Commonwealth dinner, said it was her wish that she should be followed by her son
REUTERS

Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed the agreement, saying it was "fitting" that Charles should one day succeed his mother in the role.

Mrs May told a press conference at the conclusion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in London: "His Royal Highness has been a proud supporter of the Commonwealth for more than four decades and has spoken passionately about the organisation's unique diversity.

Mrs May paid tribute to the Queen as the welcomed the decision
AFP/Getty Images

"It is fitting that one day he will continue the work of his mother, Her Majesty the Queen."

She also paid tribute to the Queen's record as head of the Commonwealth since 1952.

Meeting: Theresa May (centre left) walks with commonwealth leaders at Windsor Castle
PA

"When Her Majesty the Queen assumed the throne, the Commonwealth had just eight members. Today it has 53," she said.

"We meet here today in no small measure because of the vision, duty and steadfast service of Her Majesty in nurturing the growth of this remarkable family of nations.

Prince Charles will succeed his mother 
AFP/Getty Images

"On behalf of all our citizens, I want to express the depth of our gratitude for everything that Her Majesty has done and will continue to do."

Lloyd Dorfman, chairman of the Prince's Trust and Prince's Trust International, welcomed the news that Charles is to become the next head of the Commonwealth.

He said: "At present, seven of the nine countries where we run programmes are in the Commonwealth including Australia, Barbados, Canada and India, so we are already supporting thousands of young people in Commonwealth countries.

"I have seen the prince operating with his charities at close quarters. His vision and efforts are making a big difference and changing lives.

Commonwealth head: Q&A

What does the head of the Commonwealth do?

The head of the Commonwealth is a largely symbolic post with no real powers. The head's main role is to officially open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), a gathering of Commonwealth leaders, usually held every two years, where presidents and prime ministers discuss important issues of the moment.

How did the role evolve?

The modern Commonwealth was established by the London Declaration of 1949, just two years after India and Pakistan were granted independence. The London Declaration said the British monarch would be a symbol of the free association of independent countries, and as such the head of the Commonwealth. This meant republics could be members and accept the sovereign as head of the Commonwealth without him or her being their own head of state.

Why is the post important?

As the figurehead of an institution representing 53 member states with a combined population of 2.4 billion people, the head should embody the values of the Commonwealth. But the head's real job is to act as a unifying force or convener, drawing together and binding the leaders from Britain's former empire under the Commonwealth banner. If they do not respect or have faith in their head, maintaining unity on issues would be a problem.

Why did the Queen speak out in favour of the Prince of Wales succeeding her as Commonwealth Head?

The position is not automatically held by the British monarch and there has been speculation for a number of years about whether Charles would succeed the Queen, who has been head of the Commonwealth since coming to the throne in 1952. Ultimately it was up to the leaders to decide, so the Queen's direct and personal appeal to them to adopt her son as their next head was taken seriously.

Does Charles have the credentials for the job?

The prince has been conducting his own subtle diplomacy in recent years, talking about his passion for the Commonwealth and highlighting the achievements of his charities working in Commonwealth countries. His extensive travels during his lifetime have taken him to dozens of nations within the Commonwealth, so he has knowledge of the people and the issues they face.

"As head of the Commonwealth, the prince will be able to amplify this work and bring to the table his extensive experience, wisdom and passion."

The British government backed Charles to succeed his mother, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he agreed "very much" with the queen's wishes.

The position is largely symbolic, but the queen's commitment has been a major force behind the survival of the Commonwealth. She has visited almost every member country, often multiple times, over her 66-year reign.