Following the recent events of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, her son, King Charles III, has now taken the throne. The new King will acquire the duties of the former Queen, including ruling over not only the United Kingdom, but also 56 other countries, dubbed “The Commonwealth Nations.” King Charles III is now the monarch for over 15 of the 56 countries. Although this transfer of power will not immediately affect the Commonwealth, many nations may take this as an opportunity to leave the Commonwealth to become republics, separate from the British royal family.

   In the past, while Britain was a major colonizing power, these nations were swept into being ruled by the monarchy, which now has mostly ceremonial power,promoting human rights, climate justice, and democracy. There was debate over whether or not the Head of State for the Commonwealth nations was hereditary or not, prompting many of the countries to start plans to leave after the Queen’s eventual passing. The debate was settled, and now the King is officially Head of State to the 15 of the 56 nations. The rest of the Commonwealth Countries are either republics (36/56) or have their own monarchy (5/56).

   Following the Queen’s passing, there may be more to become republics in the near future. Jamaica, Belize, Antigua and Barbada, New Zealand, Australia, and Grenada have all made their intentions to depart from the British Monarch clear, especially with the rocky history that Britain has with colonizing the countries years ago. Jamaica has already started to transition into a republic, wanting to be stable on its own. Some countries like Grenada are not exactly optimistic about how King Charles III will take charge.

   Overall, many experts believe there will be lots to look out for over the next few years, watching how international affairs will play out, as well as whether or not the Commonwealth will survive under new leadership.