Will countries like Canada ditch Charles and become republics?

Monday marked the first Commonwealth Day since King Charles became monarch and head of the voluntary association of 56 countries.

In his Westminster Abbey address, the monarch paid tribute to his "beloved mother", describing how the annual day was a moment of pride for the late Queen who "dedicated her long and remarkable life" in service to the "Commonwealth family".

His comments are a reminder that the death of Queen Elizabeth sparked renewed debate over the place of the British monarch in the future of the Commonwealth.

Charles remains the head of state in 14 of the 56 realms, with Barbados the most recent to sever ties with the British sovereign and become a republic, in November 2021, although it has remained in the Commonwealth itself.

Republican sentiment is also on the rise across two of the Commonwealth's largest member nations: Australia and Canada.

Polling undertaken in Canada after Queen Elizabeth's death showed that only 34% of Canadians want to keep Charles as the country's head of state – and only 24% want his likeness to feature on their currency.

And according to one academic, an issue Charles faces is that he will struggle to replicate the warmth of feeling many subjects felt towards his mother.

Philip Resnick, professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia, told Yahoo: "I sense a weakening of support for retaining the monarchy with Charles at the helm.

"Elizabeth was certainly seen as a unifying figure for the Commonwealth and was looked upon with considerable affection by most Canadians, though significantly less so in Quebec. I don't think Charles will be able to duplicate his mother’s appeal."

He added: "There has been a growth in republicanism over time, with polls indicating greater support for going that route than for retaining the monarchy.

"The demography of Canada has changed substantially over the last 75 years, with those of British origin a significantly smaller part of the population than before.

"At the same time, Canada has come into its own as a sovereign state, e.g. as a member of the G7, and no longer has the same connection to the UK as in the past."

Resnick, who supports Canada becoming a republic, said that Australia is "likelier to set the pace" because republican sentiment "runs more deeply” there.

In Australia, recent polling showed an uptick of support for the monarchy in the immediate aftermath of Queen Elizabeth's death.

However, since the recent controversies involving the House of Windsor, this has dwindled and support for a republic has increased once again.

The claims made by Prince Harry in his memoir, about the leaking of stories from within the royal household and internal familial dysfunction among the royals themselves, impacted 21% of respondents' view of the monarchy.

Of that 21%, two-thirds said it made them more inclined towards Australia becoming a republic.

Equally, the country has announced that Charles will not feature on its $5 notes, which have featured Queen Elizabeth since 1992. Instead, they will opt for an image that reflects indigenous Australians.

The Royal Family is aware of its uncertain role in the future of the Commonwealth.

In March 2022, Prince William acknowledged that the reality is he may well never take over as head of the Commonwealth from his father when the time comes.

"Who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isn't what is on my mind", William said after a tour of the Caribbean that was seen as a PR disaster.

"What matters to us is the potential the Commonwealth family has to create a better future for the people who form it, and our commitment to serve and support as best we can."

He added: "I know that this tour has brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future.

"In Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, that future is for the people to decide upon. But we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with communities in all three countries, understanding more about the issues that matter most to them."

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