Royals set for two years of 'soft democracy' blitz to keep Commonwealth intact
Senior royals are readying themselves for two years of worldwide tours in a "soft democracy" blitz.
In recent years, trips of senior royals to the Commonwealth have sometimes been marked less by unity and more by division.
Perhaps most tellingly was an ill judged trip to the Caribbean last year that followed on from Barbados’ move to ditch the then-Queen as head of state.
They landed to protests in Belize, in Jamaica the prime minister Andrew Holness told them that the country was “moving on” to become a republic and a government committee in Bahamas urged them to issue a “full and formal apology for their crimes against humanity”.
Mr Holness told the Mirror yesterday that he was pressing ahead with plans to become a republic.
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A number of Commonwealth countries have been drifting away from the bloc and flirting with the idea of removing the King as head of state.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to lead a charm offensive to improve relations with Commonwealth countries (Getty Images)But now, the King and Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales are hoping that they can thaw relations with these countries hoping to go their own way.
The tour also raises the chance of the Wales’ bringing their three children, George, ten, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five, with them.
Since becoming king Charles hasn’t visited one of the Commonwealth countries, having only made a single state visit to Germany in March.
But a palace source told the Mail: “State visits are back in business.”
It was also suggested that senior royals have been left frustrated at the glacial pace of the government in approving said visits.
The state visits raise the prospects of the Wales' - and their three children - getting involved (Getty)They are decided by the Foreign Office and Royal Visits Committee.
After a forced rescheduling of a visit to France earlier this year due to riots, the King and Queen are reportedly looking to reschedule it for September.
Then next year Charles is said to be intending to visit Samoa when it hosts a Commonwealth heads of government meeting.
The Mail on Sunday previously reported that the King and Queen will also travel to Kenya later this year.
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Whilst Kenya does not recognise the monarch as head of state it is thought to be an important part of the Commonwealth.
Alongside that, William and Kate are expected to visit Singapore in the autumn - another Commonwealth nation.
Historian Ian Lloyd said the trips needed to capitalise on what he claimed was "global interest in the Coronation."
He added: "They need to do this soon before that interest wanes – and taking the Waleses’ children would prove to be a PR triumph too."
Recent decades have been marked by the royals watching more and more Commonwealth countries walk away.
Whereas the late Queen Elizabeth II was once head of state of 31 nations once, today there are only 14 with a number planning to walk away.
Just last week, the Australian state of Victoria junked hosting the Commonwealth Games because of mountain costs and a lack of tangible benefits from them.
The 2026 games could now face the axe after the costs tripled over the estimated £1.3 billion budget.
Similarly, Jamaica’s prime minister Andrew Holness recently confirmed plans that he wanted to cut colonial ties with the Commonwealth.
He admitted that red tape and a lengthy “period of public education and consultation” were slowing down the process to give the crown the boot.
Other nations like Antigua and Barbuda could also break away, with their prime minister Gaston Browne telling the visiting Earl of Wessex last year that Britain should pay reparations for its “atrocities”.
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