How King Charles III might influence UK development

The death of Queen Elizabeth II, and the accession of King Charles III, has ushered in a new era for the United Kingdom. While constitutionally, the British monarch has no role in politics, Charles — at 73, the oldest monarch ever to take the throne — has campaigned for decades on his favored causes. The most relevant of these to development professionals are climate change and the Commonwealth, an organization of 56 countries, mostly former colonies, which is sometimes viewed as a framework for U.K. aid and broader international policy, particularly post Brexit. It’s also seen as a component of soft power, though opinions differ as to its importance. The Commonwealth includes 21 African countries, which have a complicated history with the royal family because of its association with colonialism. Thirty-nine Commonwealth member states declared independence during Elizabeth’s reign, while a further four evolved to become independent. The queen’s death has sparked “complex and challenging conversations, particularly among younger generations of Africans, about the continent's relationship with the monarchy — past, present and future — and criticism of Britain's brutal colonial legacy, which is difficult to view without association to the Crown,” wrote the African Foundation for Development, or AFFORD. They noted the “monumental” changes in Africa and the U.K. which occurred during Elizabeth’s 70-year reign, which began in 1952 and ended with her death last Thursday. “During the reign of King Charles III, there is a hope and an expectation that the transition within Africa and in the UK, will shape a more equitable relationship, one that meets the needs of all people for a more sustainable future,” wrote AFFORD. More is known about the personal views and interests of King Charles III than his mother because of the long period preceding his reign when he publicly expressed them. He is a great admirer of Islamic culture, reportedly even learning Arabic to study the Quran and nature, and is known to be particularly concerned about climate change, having spoken up for Indigenous communities, as well as hedgerows. Now he is on the throne, Charles has said he will have less time for supporting charities and will be constitutionally expected to end his campaigning — or at least change how he supports his causes. Experts say that the monarch can still exercise influence in areas of interest. “The Queen took certain issues, like support for the armed forces & the Commonwealth, & presented them (more by what she did than what she said) as being above politics, even though they were both contentious. That’s how a constitutional monarch can shape political culture,” according to Philip Murphy, an author of a book critical of the Commonwealth. While the head of the Commonwealth is a symbolic, not executive, role, policy is “not made by the head but shaped, influenced, encouraged by messages and initiatives that are undertaken in the name of the head,” said Vijay Krishnarayan, former director general of the Commonwealth Foundation, an agency of the organization focused on civil society. Queen Elizabeth II did this by encouraging the “notion that the Commonwealth is at large an association of people as it is of member states,” said Krishnarayan, such as through her patronage of civil society organizations and insisting Commonwealth headquarters be shared between the secretariat and the foundation. The U.K. is not officially the leader of the Commonwealth — all countries are regarded as equal within the group — and its agenda is driven by its members, according to Krishnarayan. Its secretary-general is Patricia Scotland, a Dominican-British diplomat, and it is guided by the Commonwealth Charter, which adheres to principles such as sustainable development and gender equality. Others see it differently, like the dismissal of the Commonwealth as “an outmoded vestige of the colonial past that is no longer fit for purpose” by Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou, Director of Politics and Governance at the Overseas Development Institute. Among other criticisms have been the U.K aid cuts to Commonwealth countries and a perceived failure to help provide COVID-19 vaccines to lower-income countries in the Commonwealth during the pandemic. While it does not have the resources of large multilateral agencies, the Commonwealth does have convening power, according to Krishnarayan. This is particularly handy for small island developing states, which are especially vulnerable to climate change but lack political heft internationally. Thirty-two of the world’s 42 small states — defined as those with a population of fewer than 1.5 million people — are members of the Commonwealth. Krishnarayan said it is “dangerous to second guess what might come” now Charles has become head of the Commonwealth, a decision that was made before Elizabeth’s death as a result of years of U.K. lobbying. There has also been a restless republicanism growing in some countries, along with increasingly loud calls for slavery reparations in some African and Caribbean countries. It is unclear what the death of Queen Elizabeth — a long-time figure of stability — will mean for the organization over the long term. But moves by countries to become republics do not negate Commonwealth membership, and the organization has been growing in recent years, even including countries, such as Gabon, that are not former U.K. colonies — an indication the organization is in “pretty [good] health,” according to Krishnarayan. Charles has been engaged in the organization for some time, most recently attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Rwanda in June, where he apologized for the U.K.’s role in the slave trade. The Kigali Declaration, which came out of that summit, will “heavily” inform the Commonwealth’s work for the next two years, according to a senior official, speaking anonymously due to the mourning period. “The question, both for him and for the Commonwealth, is how far to take his soft power on some of these issues that the Commonwealth is addressing … in a way that enjoys broad support within the Commonwealth, bearing in mind the [constitutional] commitment that he’s made as he's moved from Prince to King,” the official added. “But my instinct is [on] … climate change and education, there is an opportunity for him to be outspoken but in ways that enjoy broad support within the Commonwealth family.” Work on climate change and the environment have been key strands of the Commonwealth since before becoming the standout international issue of the day. The organization has also worked on issues affecting young people and good governance, sometimes providing electoral observers during member state elections. The Commonwealth was “ahead of the game” in recognizing that development had a governance dimension, said Krishnarayan. “The Commonwealth centrally doesn’t have the huge resources to deliver policies needed to tackle climate change, but it can help with technical support and help give the confidence to small island states to take their perspective to wider forums like the U.N. and COP,” said the official. Charles’ work with the Commonwealth has also “led to him meeting and finding common purpose with Indigenous Peoples who also see it as their duty to steward and protect their land, forests and oceans,” according to Clare Shakya, director of the climate change research group at the International Institute for Environment and Development. This was echoed by James Mayers, director of IIED’s natural resources research group, who said Charles’ “work to stimulate and promote solutions to forest problems was rigorous and impressive. It even inched toward wider recognition that the biggest problem of them all is the entrenched corporate power so firmly established in colonial times.” Outside of the Commonwealth, Charles used his convening power before the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference climate negotiations “bringing investors together to call for commitments,” added Shakya. She said: “The idea of stewardship of land has driven his environmental priorities — such as bringing businesses together to commit to deforestation free supply chains. … Following his accession, he may not be speaking openly on these issues to the same degree, but his past shows he knows how to use soft power to influence, and it is unlikely his views or values will change.”