• Jamaica was a dominion of the British monarchy.
• Jamaica’s departure will now be overseen by Marlene Malahoo Forte.
• The Commonwealth would only have 14 members without Jamaica.

The Commonwealth is King Charles‘ first-ever authority-related test. Andrew Holness, the prime minister of Jamaica, has urged his country’s ministers to “go ahead with haste” in putting the reforms Jamaica needs in place to become a republic. However, he acknowledged that the process was not straightforward and that he had never expected it to go “straight.”

At a gathering in Montego Bay, St. James, the prime minister of Jamaica said: “It is time that Jamaica becomes a republic.” “For us, the process is not simple, and we have known this since we started on this journey, and we are making sure that we check every box as we move deliberately in that regard.”

He said, “So I’m saying to you, minister (Malahoo Forte), please move ahead with speed and alacrity on this matter.” Jamaica must become a republic.

Holness’ instructions follow a snag in the formation of the Constitutional Reform Committee, which will review Jamaican law and make recommendations for breaking ties with the British Monarchy and making Jamaica a republic.

The Jamaican government has charged the Mark Golding-led parliamentary opposition with stalling the process by failing to designate committee members.

Following a lengthy sequence of countries, the most recent of which was Barbados in November 2021, Jamaica would become the newest republic. In place of Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales, who was still a prince at the time, attended the ceremony.

The constitutional monarchy of the country came to an end as the British flag was lowered and the new flag of the Republic of Barbados was raised. Prince Charles was present for the final performance of “God Save the Queen.”

Another British flag would shortly be down in Jamaica; he could see it.

The British Royals typically take the side of countries that declare their determination to break away from British rule and become republics. Following his return from Jamaica, William declared that, in keeping with the institution’s position, the monarchy “supports with pride and respects your decisions regarding your future.”

When Prince William and his wife Kate visited the Caribbean in March 2022 on a royal mission, Jamaica declared its intention to become a republic.

However, a legal dispute concerning the committee’s mandate and whether the subject of adopting the Caribbean Court of Justice as Jamaica’s final court would be a priority area broke out between the country’s Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Mark Golding in the months that followed.

Jamaica’s departure from the Commonwealth will now be overseen by Marlene Malahoo Forte, Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs.

Jamaicans are divided on the question of independence along generational lines, with older individuals professing devotion to the monarchy and younger people wanting to be free.

English and Africana Studies Professor Nicola Aljoe of Northeastern University said, “They have a completely different relationship with her.”

From 1655 until its independence from the British Empire in 1962, Jamaica was a dominion of the British monarchy. The nation continued to be a Commonwealth realm, with the British monarch serving as its head of state and being represented by a governor general they appointed.

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The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu are among the 15 surviving countries where the British monarchy still rules.

The Queen took her duties as the Commonwealth’s and twenty-one African nations’ head of state seriously. She respected local customs, felt at home in a post-colonial environment, and frequently disobeyed British political elite advice when solving issues on the continent.

Following the passing of the Queen Elizabeth, concerns lingered regarding King Charles’ capacity to handle Britain’s colonial past and address the Commonwealth’s colonial roots. The Commonwealth would only have 14 members without Jamaica.