|
"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
should carry on the important work started by my father in
1949," the queen said at the formal opening of the Commonwealth
heads of Government Meeting.
The meeting, taking place in London for the first time in 20
years, is seen as a chance for Britain to reconnect with its
former colonies and revitalize the loose alliance of 53
Commonwealth countries ahead of Brexit.
The Commonwealth evolved out of the British empire in the
mid-20th century, and the Queen has been its head since her
reign began in 1952.
The question of who will follow Britain's 91 year-old monarch
into the role was raised in the run up to the summit. The leader
of Britain's opposition party suggested on Sunday the position
should be rotated around the members.
Prime minister Theresa May also spoke at the opening ceremony
and paid glowing tribute to the queen's "service, dedication and
constancy" in the role. May will lobby for Charles to be the
queen's successor when the issue is discussed over the next two
days.
Prince Charles, 69, also made an informal pitch for the role in
his remarks at the event in Buckingham Palace: "For my part, the
Commonwealth has been a fundamental feature of my life for as
long as I can remember."
(Reporting by William James, editing by Estelle Shirbon)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
|
