King Charles III is the King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. He ascended to the throne in 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Charles III takes over his mother’s legacy, and this includes being the leader and Head of State of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth has declined in numbers in recent years, though Charles III still has a strong range of countries to rule over.
There are 15 countries that swear allegiance to the King. In this article, we take a look at these nations.
North America
Out of the 15 nations that have King Charles III as their Head of State, nine belong to the continent of North America. This dates back to the British Empire’s control of the continent.
One of the best known commonwealth realms is Canada. State visits are commonplace to Canada, with King Charles III having made many trips as Prince to Canada.
The Bahamas and Jamaica are two other nations that are Commonwealth realms. A few small island nations also pledge allegiance to King Charles III. These are Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The small nations of Antigua & Barbuda and Belize only became commonwealth realms in 1981, but have both been loyal nations to the Commonwealth ever since then.
Australasia
A total of five nations within the continent of Australasia have King Charles III as their Head of State. Unlike parts of North America, Australasia has generally provided constant support for the Royal Family.
The best-known nation is Australia. Australia has been a commonwealth realm for over 100 years, and its population of over 25million citizens have typically supported the Royal Family. A 1999 referendum resulted in 55% of citizens choosing to remain a commonwealth realm.
New Zealand also has a proud history of supporting the Royal Family. King Charles III has been to New Zealand in the past, and the nation is likely to be visited again by a Royal in the forthcoming years.
There are also the nations of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea that also swear allegiance to his Highness. Tuvalu is the fifth country within this continent. Tuvalu has twice voted on referendums, both of which resulted in a comprehensive decision to remain a commonwealth realm.
Europe
Then we cannot forget Europe – where the King rules over the United Kingdom, which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
While the Royal Family’s popularity may not be as high as it once was, the majority of the population of these nations support the King. He will aim to continue the amazing work done by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The Takeaway
King Charles III will hope that the next few years will see the Commonwealth continuing to thrive. Support for the monarchy remains strong.
Each of these nations continues to enjoy excellent relations with the United Kingdom. While the British Empire may not be what it once was, its legacy is certainly living on.
