Unite and be bold, Charles tells his Commonwealth subjects
The King has called on members of the Commonwealth to make a difference to the lives of its 2.6 billion people.
The King has called on members of the Commonwealth to make a difference to the lives of the 2.6 billion people who live under its umbrella.
“Unite and be bold,” he said as he became the first monarch to deliver the Commonwealth Day message in person, speaking from the Great Pulpit in Westminster Abbey.
He was joined at the abbey, where he will be crowned in May, by other senior members of the royal family including the Queen Consort, and the Prince and Princess of Wales. As he arrived at the west door the King rubbed noses with a Maori dancer in the traditional greeting, the hongi.
Charles, who succeeded his mother as head of the Commonwealth, said in his message: “Commonwealth Day was an occasion of particular pride for my beloved mother, the late Queen; a treasured opportunity to celebrate our Commonwealth family, to whose service she dedicated her long and remarkable life.
“The Commonwealth has been a constant in my own life, and yet its diversity continues to amaze and inspire me. Its near-boundless potential as a force for good in the world demands our highest ambition; its sheer scale challenges us to unite and be bold.”
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Commonwealth Charter, which defined its values as “peace and justice; tolerance, respect and solidarity; care for our environment, and for the most vulnerable among us”. The King added: “These are not simply ideals. In each lies an imperative to act, and to make a practical difference in the lives of the 2.6 billion people who call the Commonwealth home.”
The Commonwealth could play an “indispensable role” in the most pressing issues of the time, including climate change, biodiversity loss, opportunities for young people, global health and economic co-operation. By representing one third of the world’s population, the Commonwealth contained “precious diversity of thought, culture, tradition and experience”.
It had “an incredible opportunity” to create a genuinely durable future – “one that offers the kind of prosperity that is in harmony with nature and that will also secure our unique and only planet for generations to come”.
The Commonwealth Day theme this year was Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future, the irony of which was not lost on observers at a time when the King’s relationship with his younger son, the Duke of Sussex, is far from peaceful. It is not known whether the Sussexes will attend the coronation on May 6.
Other members of the royal family at the service included the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Other members of the congregation included former Spice Girl Geri Horner.
Outside, there were protests against anti-gay laws passed by Commonwealth members. In a statement they said: “Uganda’s vicious anti-homosexuality bill is … one of the most repressive laws in the world.” A handful of protesters carried placards saying “Not my King”.
The service included performances from saxophonist YolanDa Brown, West End performers Roshani Abbey and Nuwan Hugh Perera, the all-female Amalgamation Choir from Cyprus, and the Urukerereza, the National Ballet of Rwanda. Guests of honour included Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, the Prime Minister of Samoa, and senior politicians and dignitaries from Britain and Commonwealth.
Also there were athletes from the nations that competed in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year and religious leaders.
The Times
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