April 19 (UPI) — Queen Elizabeth II told the Commonwealth summit on Thursday she hopes her son, Prince Charles, will succeed her as Head of Commonwealth.
She spoke at the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, a biennial summit of the 53 nations in what was formerly known as the British Commonwealth. All have a constitutional, historical or cultural link to Britain. While the summit typically offers few resolutions of substance from what is left of the British Empire, the leaders generally agree on a communiqué on a major issue.
The Queen said she hopes Charles will “one day” take over a role that is not hereditary and will not pass automatically to Charles.
“It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations, and will decide that one day The Prince of Wales [Charles] should carry on the important work started by my father in 1949,” she told the audience of heads of state or their representatives in a Buckingham Palace ballroom.
Her speech, met with warm applause, is the most explicit statement she has made of her plans for the Commonwealth’s future, and who will be its chief, The Telegraph wrote on Thursday. The decision on who will succeed the Queen, who is 91, in the role will be made on Friday, the newspaper added.
The Commonwealth includes Canada and Australia, as well as smaller countries like Antigua and Sri Lanka. Issues under discussion at this year’s summit include ocean conservation, cybersecurity and trade between the member countries.
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