Realms of possibility

Can King Charles III hold the Commonwealth together? | King Charles III's accession to the throne has reignited debate over the British royal family's role in the 21st century-and no more so than in the Commonwealth, where the monarch remains head of state in 15 of its 56 members. Now its devoted former figurehead Queen Elizabeth II is gone, and in the light of its roots in empire and slavery, will the 'family of nations' rethink its links with the crown? Our correspondents assess the mood in six key member states

Canada

Ties to the crown are loosening but cutting them could be tall order

By Leyland Cecco TORONTO Betty Ann Adam SASKATOON

The final hurdle for any immigrant suffering through a bitter Canadian winter or swatting away hordes of summertime bugs is to pledge allegiance to a monarch thousands of kilometres away from the new country they call home.

Queen Elizabeth II was well-liked by generations of Canadians, but her death and the ascension of her son Charles have revived a longstanding debate in the country, where support for the monarchy is in decline.

But unlike other states that have cut the link with the British crown or are considering doing so - Canada is likely to remain tethered to the monarchy for no better reason than its convoluted constitutional rules.

Throughout Canada's 155 years as a nation, a king or queen has served as head of state. It was Elizabeth's favourite destination for a royal visit - she made 22 during her reign.

The institution she represented, however, has increasingly fallen out of favour with Canadians, a majority of whom would prefer to see it abolished. For some, it's stuffy and outdated. For others, it bears the weight of history, and the responsibility for centuries of suffering and dispossession for Indigenous peoples.

Today, immigration drives Canada's population growth and with many new Canadians arriving from countries that also suffered under colonialism, scepticism of the monarchy is only likely to grow, said Jonathan Malloy, a professor of political science at Carleton University, who specialises in the study of parliamentary institutions.